Recurring concern
Unsafe medication prescribing
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Request correctionFirst reported 5 May 2013•Latest report 25 Jun 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures involving the clinical appropriateness of prescribing or medication selection, including inadequate assessment of indication, patient circumstances, relevant information, alternatives or dose.
Not included
- Excludes failures limited to medication administration after an otherwise appropriate prescription.
- Excludes generic documentation, training or communication deficiencies unless they directly result in or are explicitly tied to an unsafe prescribing decision.
- Excludes dispensing, supply or monitoring failures that do not concern whether the medication prescription itself was clinically appropriate.
- Reports
- 121
- Individual concerns
- 151
- Date range
- 2013–2026
- Stated actions
- 246
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised2
Failure of the electronic prescribing tool to require review of known allergies
Lack of knowledge about constituent components of commonly prescribed drugs
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to ascertain the indication and appropriateness of opiate analgesia
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to act on patients' antibiotic sensitivity
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Discussed the case with senior clinical leaders across the Trust and wider regional healthcare organisations to promote consistent allergy-risk decision-making.
Stated by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Discussed the case through the Yorkshire and Humber Antimicrobial Pharmacists Network to disseminate learning on safe prescribing with recorded allergies.
Stated by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Align the antimicrobial approach across Bradford Teaching Hospitals and Airedale Hospitals, including revising the Antimicrobial Policy using evidence-based practice.
Stated by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
A documented antibiotic allergy is not necessarily ignored when clinicians investigate its history and make an evidence-based, clinically considered prescribing decision.
Stated by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure of the electronic prescribing system to require a secondary medication-selection check
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
Additional prescribing double-checks are unlikely to improve safety and may increase risk through alert fatigue.
Stated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
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Position
Existing EPMA systems and processes sufficiently minimise medication risk, so no additional prescribing double-check is introduced.
Stated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised2
Failure to flag refusal to share prescribing information for further enquiry
Failure to prevent drug selection before prescriber contact
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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Action
Inspect online providers’ management of medicines, prescriptions, consent, identity checks, information sharing, governance and staff safety training.
Stated by Care Quality Commission -
Action
Publish guidance requiring providers to inform patients’ GPs about prescribed medications and assess safety when patients decline information sharing.
Stated by Care Quality Commission -
Action
Publish updated prescribing guidance covering remote consultation suitability, information sharing, patient dialogue, and safeguards for controlled or potentially addictive medicines.
Stated by General Medical Council
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Action
Establish high-level principles for safe remote consultations and online prescribing with healthcare organisations.
Stated by General Pharmaceutical Council -
Action
Launch a call for evidence on remote consultations and prescribing to assess whether existing guidance remained appropriate for changing practice and technology.
Stated by General Medical Council
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Concerns raised1
Failure to account for significant alcohol use when prescribing powerful painkillers
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Share up-to-date opiate prescribing guidance across Stockport practices.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board -
Action
Work with system colleagues to ensure adherence to best-practice opiate prescribing guidance.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing prescribing safeguards are considered sufficient to ensure safe opiate prescribing across the individual practice and wider Stockport GP community.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
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Concerns raised2
Failure to limit prescribing of the medication to the recommended duration
Failure to check the appropriateness of medication prescriptions
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to prescribe at least two EpiPens
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Reliance on patients’ accounts of current medication without routine verification
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to account for addiction, self-harm and poor substance use when prescribing medication
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Continue discussions with Primary Care Network leads to explore Stockport Integrated Pharmacy Service support for optimising medication reviews.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board -
Action
Remind Stockport GPs about available opioid-prescribing resources and how to seek support through the next pharmacy newsletter.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing prescribing guidance and clinician adherence are considered sufficient because the incident is regarded as isolated.
Stated by NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
Data last updated 7 September 2026