The Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2013

Establishment and operation of local intelligence networks

14.—(1) The NHSCB must determine what are to be the local intelligence network areas for England, and those areas must together cover the whole of England.

(2) The accountable officer of—

(a) the NHSCB in respect of a local intelligence network area must establish and operate a local intelligence network for that area, which may include—

(i) any responsible body in that area,

(ii) a responsible body that has functions in relation to more than one local intelligence network area, and

(iii) different responsible bodies in different circumstances (as determined by the accountable officer);

(b) each Health Board must establish (if there is not one already) and operate a local intelligence network for its area, which may include—

(i) any responsible body in its area,

(ii) a responsible body that has functions in relation to more than one Health Board area, and

(iii) different responsible bodies in different circumstances (as determined by the accountable officer),

for the purposes mentioned in paragraph (3).

(3) Those purposes are facilitating the co-operation of responsible bodies who are members (in any particular circumstances) of the local intelligence network in connection with—

(a) the identification of cases in which action may need to be taken in respect of matters arising in relation to the management or use of controlled drugs by relevant persons;

(b) the consideration of issues relating to the taking of action in respect of such matters; and

(c) the taking of action in respect of such matters.

(4) An accountable officer who under paragraph (2) is required to operate a local intelligence network for an area (referred to in these Regulations as a “local lead CDAO”) may request—

(a) a periodic declaration and self assessment from a provider of medical, dental, nursing or midwifery services in that area who is a relevant person, which states—

(i) whether the provider uses controlled drugs at any premises from which the provider provides health care, and

(ii) if so, how controlled drugs are managed and used at those premises; and

(b) the accountable officer (P1) of a designated body in the area of the local intelligence network to provide to the local lead CDAO, on a quarterly basis (or more frequently, if there have been concerns that warrant it), an occurrence report that provides—

(i) details of any concerns that a designated body of P1 (that is in that area) has regarding the management or use of controlled drugs by any person that is as regards it a relevant individual, or

(ii) confirming that it has no such concerns,

and if the local lead CDAO does so request, P1 (unless P1 is the accountable officer of the headquarters of a regular or reserve force) must accede to that request.