Response to ACMD advice on the supply of codeine products by podiatrists, 14 June 2022 (accessible)
Published 20 October 2022
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From:
Jeremy Quin MP
Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire
2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF
To:
Professor Owen Bowden-Jones
Chair of Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
Professor Roger Knaggs, Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs’ Technical Committee
c/o Zahi Sulaiman
Secretary to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD)
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
20 October 2022
Dear Owen and Roger,
RE: ACMD advice on the supply of codeine products by podiatrists
Thank you for the ACMD’s advice on the supply of codeine products by podiatrists, dated 14 June 2022. The Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have worked together to consider the recommendations.
The ACMD considered the NHS proposal and recommended that the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (“the 2001 Regulations”) be amended to reflect it and that:
as there is potential for misuse with long-term use of co-codamol, codeine phosphate and co-dydramol products, the ACMD supports restricting the duration of supply using the proposed interim mechanism to no more than 3 days as recommended by current Royal College of Podiatry guidance.
The government accepts this recommendation and will bring forward legislation to bring it into effect.
As this will take some time, I have issued a written authority under Regulation 8(4) of the 2001 Regulations to provide clarity that appropriately qualified podiatrists can supply these products in the interim, subject to the safeguards proposed by the ACMD. This approach has been agreed with DHSC and NHS England.
I understand the Minister for Health in Northern Ireland is considering equivalent provision.
The government also accepts the ACMD’s recommendation that it consider the longer-term proposals for prescribing by podiatrists following the outcome of NHS England’s consultation.
My thanks again to the ACMD for its technical advice and the invaluable work it continues to do.
Jeremy Quin MP
Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire