Important information – Practice Policy on Prescribing Sedation For Hospital or Dental Procedures
We have experienced an increase in the number of requests from our hospital or dental colleagues, or directly from our patients, asking us to prescribe sedation (such as diazepam) prior to undergoing a hospital or dental procedure or investigation.
At Broomhill and Lodge Moor Surgeries, we will not prescribe sedation for patients who are due to undergo a hospital or dental procedure or investigation.
There are several reasons why we have taken this decision:
- Current national guidance from the Royal College of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Radiology and the Intercollegiate Advisory Committee for sedation in Dentistry recommends that sedation should be prescribed and monitored by the clinical team carrying out the investigation or procedure requiring sedation.
- Benzodiazepines can cause respiratory depression in some patients. It is important that patients who are given sedation prior to a procedure are appropriately monitored to ensure there are no serious complications.
- Although most people respond to benzodiazepines like Diazepam with sedation, a small proportion experiences the opposite effect and can become aggressive. They can also lead to disinhibition and make you behave in ways you normally wouldn’t, which may put you in danger.
We request that all patients who have been advised they require sedation by their hospital or dental teams to obtain the appropriate prescription directly from the responsible clinician.
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