Edna Cleaton
Action Taken
Midlands Medical Partnership has an agreed repeat prescribing protocol requiring reviews every six months for antidepressant prescriptions. They have also implemented an automatic electronic protocol within their clinical system that prompts prescribers for a review if one has not occurred within the past six months before issuing a repeat prescription for depression medication. (AI summary)
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Dear Mrs Hunt,
Re: Edna Cleaton -DoB: 30 August 1914 6 Raford Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 5PE - Tel 0121 382 0831
Thank you for sending me your report dated 18th December 2015 in relation to the Coroner's inquest for the late Edna Cleaton.
For the management of newly diagnosed depression, that requires medical treatment, the patient is reviewed within 2 to 4 weeks of starting the medication. After this period they are usually followed up on a monthly period until they are stable. Once the patient symptoms are stable, the medication is usually reviewed within a six-month period. The patient is given opportunity to return back to the GP either in person or for a telephone consultation.
When a repeat prescription for antidepressants is set up it is usually only for a maximum of six months. After this period a review must take place.
Please find attached a copy of the repeat prescribing protocol that is in place for all repeat prescriptions including antidepressants.
Jockey Road Medical Centre is a trading name of Midlands Medical Partnership Birmingham North East. Part of the Midlands Medical Partnership Group of Practices. A full list of partners is available at the above address.
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This has been agreed by all the doctors at Jockey Road Medical Centre. When a repeat prescription is generated, that person must ensure that an appropriate review has happened in the previous six months.
We also have an automatic electronic protocol that has been built into the clinical system that is activated if repeat prescription is generated with a read code of depression. If a review has not taken place, then an automatic prompt will appear, reminding the prescriber of the need for a review before the prescription can be issued.
I hope that the above safeguards will ensure that patients who are stable on antidepressants will have timely reviews to prevent a repeat of what led to the inquest.
I would like to apologise sincerely to the family for any shortcomings and distress that we may have caused them.
If you require any further clarification please do not hesitate to contact me.
Re: Edna Cleaton -DoB: 30 August 1914 6 Raford Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 5PE - Tel 0121 382 0831
Thank you for sending me your report dated 18th December 2015 in relation to the Coroner's inquest for the late Edna Cleaton.
For the management of newly diagnosed depression, that requires medical treatment, the patient is reviewed within 2 to 4 weeks of starting the medication. After this period they are usually followed up on a monthly period until they are stable. Once the patient symptoms are stable, the medication is usually reviewed within a six-month period. The patient is given opportunity to return back to the GP either in person or for a telephone consultation.
When a repeat prescription for antidepressants is set up it is usually only for a maximum of six months. After this period a review must take place.
Please find attached a copy of the repeat prescribing protocol that is in place for all repeat prescriptions including antidepressants.
Jockey Road Medical Centre is a trading name of Midlands Medical Partnership Birmingham North East. Part of the Midlands Medical Partnership Group of Practices. A full list of partners is available at the above address.
Page 1
This has been agreed by all the doctors at Jockey Road Medical Centre. When a repeat prescription is generated, that person must ensure that an appropriate review has happened in the previous six months.
We also have an automatic electronic protocol that has been built into the clinical system that is activated if repeat prescription is generated with a read code of depression. If a review has not taken place, then an automatic prompt will appear, reminding the prescriber of the need for a review before the prescription can be issued.
I hope that the above safeguards will ensure that patients who are stable on antidepressants will have timely reviews to prevent a repeat of what led to the inquest.
I would like to apologise sincerely to the family for any shortcomings and distress that we may have caused them.
If you require any further clarification please do not hesitate to contact me.