If in doubt, question the prescription

November saw the publication of a detailed report into prescribing errors by junior doctors that had been commissioned by the General Medical Council (Dornan et al, 2009). This study identified a prescribing error rate of approximately 10% and sought to understand the reasons for—and nature of—prescribing errors, which included a lack of familiarity with prescription forms, illegible handwriting, failure to prescribe regular medication on admission, and incorrect drugs or doses being prescribed. The report also highlighted that most of these errors were identified before the drug was administered to a patient by a senior doctor, a nurse or more commonly a pharmacist.