Sedation for Scans / Procedures

We are unable to prescribe sedatives, such as diazepam, for any procedures or scans conducted outside of Kingswood Surgery, including MRI scans and dental procedures.

If you believe sedation is necessary in these situations, please discuss this with the team responsible for the procedure or scan, as they are accountable for providing sedation if required.

Sedatives are medications that help patients feel sleepy and relaxed. There are several reasons why healthcare practitioners at Kingswood Surgery do not prescribe these medications for procedures outside our practice:

  1. GPs are not trained to administer the appropriate level of sedation for a procedure or scan. Insufficient sedation may not be effective, while excessive sedation can cause excessive drowsiness, potentially leading to the cancellation of the procedure. Over-sedation can also dangerously impact breathing. After taking a sedative for a procedure or scan, close monitoring is necessary to ensure safety.
  2. Although diazepam typically induces sleepiness, it can occasionally have the opposite effect, causing aggression or agitation.
  3. Delays are common with scans and hospital procedures, so the team performing the procedure or scan should provide sedation to ensure it takes effect at the appropriate time.
  4. Hospital consultants, whether requesting imaging or providing it, have the same prescribing capabilities as GPs. If the requesting doctor determines that a patient requires specific medication to proceed with an investigation, they are equally equipped to provide a prescription, either through the hospital pharmacy or a hospital FP10.

Feel free to share this policy with your hospital team or dentist.

Further Information:

  • The Royal College of Radiologists provides clear guidance for sedation in hospital radiology departments ( https://www.rcr.ac.uk/system/files/publication/field_publication_files/bfcr182_safe_sedation.pdf ), stating that "Sedation and analgesia should be administered by a competent and well-trained individual, with oversight provided by a sedation committee within the institution."
  • The Intercollegiate Advisory Committee for Sedation in Dentistry offers similar guidelines ( https://www.saad.org.uk/IACSD%202020.pdf ), stating that "The monitoring and discharge requirements for oral sedation are the same as for intravenous sedation. Oral sedation must only be administered in the place where the dental treatment is provided and must only be carried out by practitioners who are already competent in intravenous sedation."

Page last reviewed: 11 March 2025
Page created: 11 March 2025