Regulation 18 Accountable officers to establish arrangements for sharing information

(1)

An accountable officer must establish and operate, or ensure that his designated body establishes and operates, appropriate arrangements for ensuring the proper sharing of information, in accordance with regulation 25 or 26, by his designated body with other responsible bodies regarding the management and use of controlled drugs.

(2)

If the accountable officer is an accountable officer nominated or appointed by a Primary Care Trust or Health Board, those arrangements must include establishing a network (a “local intelligence network”) for sharing information regarding the management and use of controlled drugs.

(3)

The network shall include (although it need not be limited to) the following types of bodies, as appropriate—

(a)

in England—

(i)

a Primary Care Trust,

(ii)

an NHS trust,

(iii)

an NHS foundation trust,

(iv)

a Strategic Health Authority,

(v)

the Healthcare Commission,

(vi)

the Commission for Social Care Inspection, and

(vii)

the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service Division of the NHS Business Services Authority;

(b)

in Scotland—

(i)

a Health Board,

(ii)

the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care,

(iii)

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, and

(iv)

NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (which is part of the Common Services Agency);

(c)

a regulatory body;

(d)

a police force; and

(e)

a local authority.