Purpose

Dame Janet Smith’s Public Inquiry into the murders conducted by Harold Shipman highlighted a number of issues of concern in relation to the use, management and restrictions placed on Controlled Drugs (CD’s). The subsequent Health Act (2006) created the statutory role of an Accountable Officer (within Healthcare). It also created a statutory obligation of co-operation with other "responsible bodies" which includes the Police, to address issues relating to the management and supervision of CD’s.

Furthermore, the Act created clear powers of entry, inspection of premises and inspection of records related to CD's for a "constable or an authorised person" in any setting where CD’s are stored or dispensed. This part of the legislation is clearly aimed at the Police and demonstrates the emphasis that the Government put on the Police to be active in addressing this issue.

At the time of this legislation there were Chemist Inspectors employed by GMP who subsequently became Controlled Drugs Liaison Officers (CDLO's) with health funding from Primary Care Trusts (PCT’s) across GM. In 2012, the Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO) role was created at a GM level rather than at a PCT level, with health funding shifting to NHSE.

Under subsequent legislation, the Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations (2013), the Police remained as one of the "Responsible Bodies", with further emphasis on active co-operation, information sharing, and the obligatory participation of Accountable Officers and Responsible Officers. Local Intelligence Networks (LIN’s) also became a statutorily required network to promote information sharing and thereby improve active management of risk.

The CDLO's currently employed by GMP remain an integral part of the LIN both in terms of their reporting function and the powers conferred as persons authorised by the Police to conduct inspections and investigate concerns. As well as involvement with the LIN and setting multi-agency strategies and tactical responses to concerns regarding CD's, the CDLO's conduct regular and unannounced visits to the 700 pharmacies across GMP. These visits always ensure a sharp downturn in missing CD's and therefore significantly reduce the associated risks.

There has been a huge upsurge in the illicit diversion of Prescription Controlled Drugs from the legitimate supply chain. The use of the internet to order and then conventional mail systems to conduct physical supply have also contributed massively to this.

Both nationally and internationally there have been significant increases in poly-drug misuse deaths where unregulated supplies of prescription medications are used alongside traditional street drugs (heroin, cocaine etc.). The CDLO's are regularly contacted and used for support by the Police Coroners Officers in GMP as a result of these increasing numbers of drugs deaths.

The scale of diversion has been identified in a number of significant investigations carried out with GMP. Operation Vulcan in Cheetham Hill resulted in huge recoveries of illicit prescription CD's (over 3 million individual doses) most of which were legally produced in the UK and then diverted. During a more recent operation 300,000 individual tablets were also recovered in Cheetham Hill, with phone evidence showing that at one point the stock held by the Organised Crime Group was over 500,000 tablets. Again, these were all diverted from the legal supply chain.

The CDLO's have a key role in preventing this diversion and identifying dubious activities at pharmacies across GMP. This includes identifying pharmacists who may be targeted by Organised Crime Groups.

Clarity is awaited around the future GM Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO) role which retains legislative responsibilities. In this context, the need to retain CDLO's in order to reduce the risks associated with illicit prescription CD's is further underlined.

Decision

GMP have three part-time members of staff dedicated to Controlled Drugs Liaison Officer (CDLO) functions. Collectively this equates to 1.79 established posts that were funded jointly by NHSE (85%) and GMP (15%).

In December 2025, notification was given that NHSE would cease funding these posts at the end of March 2026. The total annual cost (inclusive of National Insurance, pensions and expenses) will be £93,889.98 for the period April 2026 to March 2027.

The withdrawal of NHSE funding will leave a shortfall off £79,806.48. It is proposed that 57.5% of this shortfall be met by GMP and 42.5% be met by GMCA.

The total GMCA contribution for twelve months only, April 2026 to March 2027, will be £39,903.24.

A longer-term plan will be devised during the course of the 2026/27 financial year.