A Dublin GP is facing five allegations of poor professional performance after he allegedly over-prescribed benzodiazepines for patients with anxiety and insomnia, a fitness to practise inquiry was told this morning.
The Medical Council hearing was told Dr Mohammed Ahmed Khan, with a practice in Wicklow Street, Dublin, prescribed the psychoactive drug for four patients over extended periods and up to four times the recommended dose.
The allegations against him included that he placed undue reliance on prescribing benzodiazepines, which include brands such as Valium, and that he failed to comply with Department of Health guidelines on prescribing the drugs.
He also allegedly failed to make any or adequate enquiries as to whether any of the patients were being treated by another GP, failed to arrange for referral to a specialist substance misuse practitioner or drug treatment centre and failed to prescribe the most appropriate medicine to suit the patients’ condition and or best interests.
The case continues.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/a9b6339a-a538-4f7e-a503-ba0e7effa6ec.png)