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Written question asked by Damien Egan (Labour) on Monday, 26 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 28 January 2026. It was answered by Karin Smyth (Labour) on Tuesday, 3 February 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Skin Diseases: Steroid Drugs

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish guidance clarifying which organisation is responsible for ensuring that prescribers act on updated patient-safety information on topical corticosteroids.

Answer

The health and care professional regulators are responsible for the regulation of health and care professionals across the United Kingdom.

Regulators require all registrants to work within their scope of practice by only practising in areas where they have appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience. This also applies to prescribing.

The General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Health and Care Professions Council, and the General Pharmaceutical Council each publish guidance on prescribing for their registrants, which includes signposting to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency which monitors the safety of medicines.

Regulators can take action through fitness to practise processes where professionals on the register fail to uphold professional standards or practise outside of relevant guidance, posing a risk to patient safety.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
108325
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Prescriptions Safety Steroid drugs Skin diseases
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk