All questions are shown as received by the Trust.
1) In several physician associates (PAs) have erroniously prescribed medications to patients. If this has happened at your trust, please provide the following information:
a) The earliest and latest date a prescription was made by a physician associate?
b) The total number of physician associates who have made unauthorised prescriptions?
c) The total number of prescriptions made by PAs that have been acted on, i.e. patients given medication?
d) The total number of prescription requests made by PAs that were not acted on, i.e. patients not given medications?
e) Please list all controlled medications and cytotoxic drugs prescribed by physician associates, and the total number of occasions on which they were prescribed?
f) Please give the number of patients who came to harm as a result of PAs making any unauthorised prescriptions?
g) Please explain how it was possible for PAs to prescribe medication at your trust (e.g. PAs accidentally given prescribing functionality)?
h) What steps have you taken to rectify this issue, including any penalties for the physician associates involbed?
2) Several trusts have reported situations in which their physician associates (PAs) have erroniously ordered ionising radiation. If this has happened at your trust, please provide the following information:
a) Total number of incidents in which PAs made requests for ionising radiation?
b) Total number of incidents in which PAs made requests for ionising radiation, and these requests were acted on (i.e. the patient received the scan with ionising radiation as requested by the PA)?