Guidelines

Safe Storage and Access to Offender Medications in Community Correctional Centres

PURPOSE

  • To ensure that offenders residing in Community Correctional Centres (CCCs) where there is no nursing staff have access to their medications
  • To ensure national consistency in the safe handling and storage of narcotics and controlled drugs in CCCs

APPLICATION

Applies to all staff and contractors involved in the supervision of offenders working in CCCs where there is no nursing staff

RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCEDURES

  1. Authorized staff members and contractors will manage and control offenders’ access to narcotics and controlled drugs. They will also register access to medication related to a condition of the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) or a court order, for risk management purposes.
  2. All narcotics and controlled drugs, as well as medication related to a PBC condition or a court order, will be treated in the same manner. They will be locked in a CSC-approved safe in a secure area to which there is no offender access.
  3. All other prescription and over-the-counter medications will be in the offender's possession.
  4. At no time will an offender be forced to take any medication without his/her consent.
  5. The offender must advise CCC staff of all narcotics and controlled drugs that he/she is prescribed.
  6. CCC staff should consult with their local or regional pharmacy as required to determine whether or not an offender’s medications fall within the category of narcotics and controlled drugs.
  7. All prescription and over-the-counter medications must be in the original packaging (e.g. bottle, box, blister pack).
  8. It is the offender’s responsibility to self-administer his/her individual prescription and over-the-counter medications. CCC staff members or contractors are not responsible for identifying specific requirements regarding prescription medication (e.g. reminders for offenders to take their medications at the prescribed times). However, Parole Officers must verify whether offenders have the required access to medication imposed through a PBC condition or a court order.
  9. In the event that CCC staff members have reasons to believe that an offender is unable to manage his/her own medications, they will consult with their local pharmacy to determine options that will allow the offender to safely self-administer his/her medications (e.g. medications provided by pharmacy in a dosette).
  10. If the offender temporarily leaves the CCC, he/she is responsible for requesting and taking the amount of medication that is required for the duration of the absence (narcotics and controlled drugs only).
  11. Staff or contractors will administer the EpiPen® in accordance with their first aid/cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training. In accordance with CD 800 – Health Services, 911 will be called in order to have the offender transported by ambulance to the hospital. After the initial EpiPen® is administered, if anaphylaxis symptoms continue, and in the absence of the arrival of emergency medical services personnel, one repeat EpiPen® can be administered in 10-20 minutes (as indicated in the St. John Ambulance First Aid Reference Guide, First Edition, 2011). Further information on the EpiPen® may be found in Annex A of the Guidelines for Health Services on Medication Distribution and Administration.

LOG – ACCESS TO MEDICATION RELATED TO A PBC CONDITION OR A COURT ORDER

  1. Parole Officers who must verify the provision of access to a medication related to a PBC condition or a court order will inform the staff or contractors involved of the requirement to use the log in Annex B.
  2. The staff or contractor on duty will provide the identified offender with access to medication related to a PBC condition or a court order. The offender and the staff member or contractor will sign and date the log in Annex B. If the staff member or contractor has reasons to believe the offender is not taking his/her medication as required, the necessary action will be taken for risk management purposes.

REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL OF MEDICATIONS AND SHARPS (USED NEEDLES, FINGER LANCETS, ETC.)

  1. Unlabelled and expired medication will be sent to the local pharmacy for disposal under the direction of the CCC Manager.
  2. Medication left behind as a result of the offender being unlawfully at large will be sent to the local pharmacy within two weeks under the direction of the CCC Manager.
  3. When an offender is arrested at a CCC following the suspension of his/her parole or supervision, his/her prescription and over-the-counter medications must be:
    1. packaged and handed to the persons performing the arrest to be delivered to the receiving institution
    2. packaged and sent directly to the receiving institution, or
    3. sent to the local pharmacy for disposal under the direction of the CCC Manager.
  4. Sharps such as needles and finger lancets must be disposed of in an approved biohazard container. This container must be stored in a secure area to which there is no offender access without supervision. Once the container is two-thirds full, it must be sent to the local pharmacy or other handler of biohazard material for disposal. At no time will sharps be thrown into the garbage.

ENQUIRIES

  1. Strategic Policy Division
    National Headquarters
    Email: Gen-NHQPolicy-Politi@csc-scc.gc.ca

Assistant Commissioner,
Correctional Operations and Programs

Original Signed by:
Fraser Macaulay

ANNEX A

CROSS-REFERENCES AND DEFINITIONS

CROSS-REFERENCES

cd 714 – Community Correctional Centre Standards

cd 800 – Health Services

Guidelines for Health Services on Medication Distribution and Administration

DEFINITIONS

Access to medication : non-health care professionals provide the offender an opportunity to self-administer medication that otherwise could not be issued to the offender. The medication has been prepared in advance by an appropriate licensed health care professional.

Dosette : individualized box containing medications organized into compartments by day and time, so as to simplify the taking of medications.

Narcotics and controlled drugs : all drugs listed in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. (For the purpose of these guidelines, methadone and suboxone are excluded as they are not authorized in CCCs.)

ANNEX B

LOG – ACCESS TO MEDICATION RELATED TO A PBC CONDITION OR A COURT ORDER

Family name:
Given name:
Date of birth:
DATE TIME RESIDENT SIGNATURE STAFF OR CONTRACTOR’S INITIALS
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

Distribution: Original – Case Management File

For more information

To learn about upcoming or ongoing consultations on proposed federal regulations, visit the Canada Gazette and Consulting with Canadians websites.