The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is calling for a temporary relaxation of restrictions on controlled medicines that could be used for end-of-life care in patients with COVID-19.
There are reports that the combination of local supply shortages and legal requirements that every patient has an individual named prescription is leading to delays in administering drugs in cases where COVID-19 symptoms develop rapidly.
In a statement, Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the RCGP, said: "Patients rely on medication at all stages of their lives, but when they are at or nearing the end of their lives, the medication patients receive is vital to ensure they remain comfortable at what is often a very distressing time."
"During the COVID-19 pandemic an increasing number of patients are needing medication to help control pain or symptoms such as breathlessness at the end of their lives. To maximise the availability of such medication, we have raised this issue with Government urging temporary measures to allow more effective use of existing stocks of medicine– for example, being able to repurpose unused medication so that it can be used for other patients who need them, when they need them."
