“If you prescribe medicines for someone


with whom you have a close personal relationship you may not be able to remain objective and you could overlook serious problems, encourage addiction, or interfere with treatment provided by other healthcare professionals. Other than in emergencies, you should not prescribe medicines for anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship.” Any departure from this guidance (most


probably where prescription medicine forms an integral part of a planned course of


“ Other than in emergencies, you should not prescribe medicines for anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship”


treatment) should be completely logical, safe and well-documented. Quite understandably, the GDC have


created an exception to allow for prescribing in dental emergencies. What, however, if the condition was serious, but of non-dental origin? Normally, the dentist’s involvement would be limited to recommending urgent consultation with a doctor or a trip to A&E. However, when the patient in question is a relative, there may be a temptation to intervene personally. Obviously, it would be impossible to prescribe for most medical conditions using an NHS script. However, there is no restriction on the choice of drugs that can be prescribed by a dentist on a private basis. Beware – even if the condition is common and its treatments and their hazards are scrupulously researched, this is not carte-blanche to prescribe at will. Te GDC’s new Standards and Scope of


Practice require that registrants only carry out treatments for which they are


WINTER 2014


“appropriately trained… and indemnified”. In support of this position, the GDC cite


the example of a dentist who prescribed one week’s supply of diabetic medication for his mother who lived abroad and whose supply was running short. Te Investigating Committee noted with sympathy the surrounding circumstances but still issued the dentist with a warning. Bearing this example in mind, one must


fear for the poor dentist who succumbs to pressure from a life-long golf partner and gives a penicillin script for a “sore throat”. While such an action might seem inconsequential, it would in all likelihood, breach the requirement that registrants should prescribe for identified dental needs and that registrants should prescribe within their competence. It also contravenes the restriction on prescription to close friends outside emergency situations. A full house if ever there was one! Tere may be an assumption that such


minor transgressions would only come to light in the event of some catastrophic complication. Admittedly, such an outcome is pretty unlikely. However, it only takes an unfortunate drug interaction or a report from a professional colleague to spark off many months of regret and worry. So, reflect very carefully before departing


from your normal prescribing, treatment planning or claiming practices. Dentists who stretch the rules for friends will usually do so out of compassion and not for personal gain. However, previous instances have shown that, where these actions conflict with GDC standards, NHS regulations or accepted clinical practice, such mitigating arguments are of limited value.


n Doug Hamilton is a dental adviser at MDDUS


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