Includes failures of controls specifically dedicated to safe propofol use, including national guidance, dose limits or principles, protocols, prescribing safeguards, clinician understanding and required monitoring for complications such as propofol infusion syndrome.
What is not included
Excludes generic medication, sedation or intensive-care deficiencies not specifically tied to propofol safety.
Excludes failures concerning other medicines or sedatives unless the report explicitly identifies propofol as the shared safety concern.
Excludes isolated administration, monitoring or prescribing errors where no propofol-specific control deficiency is identified.
Excludes factual descriptions of propofol toxicity that do not identify an inadequate or unreliable safety control.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, 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.
Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine1
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust1
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency1
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence1
NHS England1
Paediatric Critical Care Society1
Royal College of Anaesthetists1
Royal Surrey County Hospital1
The Intensive Care Society1
Charitable incorporated organisation1
Executive non-departmental public body1
Healthcare site1
Health professional body1
Medicines and medical devices regulator1
NHS trust1
Registered charity1
Reports and published responses 2 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
West Yorkshire Eastern
Concerns raised1
Lack of national guidance for propofol use for short-term sedation in children and young people on PICUs
Linked responses
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NHS England
Paediatric Critical Care Society
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
Paediatric Critical Care Society
Produce a joint specialist position statement on propofol use in paediatric critical care for publication on participating organisations’ websites.
Paediatric Critical Care Society
Introduce a mandatory PCCS Quality Standards requirement for Level 3 units to maintain an agreed local guideline for propofol use.
NHS England
Add a requirement to the next PCCS standards that every paediatric intensive care unit have a local propofol-use guideline.
NHS England
Support development and implementation of the position statement and standards actions so paediatric intensive care units establish safe propofol-use arrangements.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.4
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Developing national propofol guidance for paediatric intensive care is not within the appropriate organisational role.
Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NHS England or the Paediatric Critical Care Society should address propofol guidance and consider requiring local PICU protocols.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
NHS England
Existing mandated local PICU protocols are considered sufficient because they can address patient selection, contraindications, prescribing and monitoring requirements.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
NHS England
Individual PICU services are responsible for developing local propofol guidance under professional and commissioning standards.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Surrey
Concerns raised8
Lack of national understanding and acceptance of safe propofol amounts
Failure to create and adhere to guidelines or protocols for propofol use
Lack of continual assessment for complications of propofol-related infusion syndrome
Lack of clarity about propofol infusion duration, volume and dose
Lack of a protocol for propofol use in ITU
Lack of medical supervision and control of propofol use in ITU
Lack of understanding that propofol-related infusion syndrome is a complication of prolonged propofol sedation
Lack of understanding of atypical adult presentation of propofol-related infusion syndrome
This report raised 11 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.