Sedation for Scans Policy

Medication for patients having MRI scans and other investigative procedures

The Lodge Health Partnership is unable to prescribe diazepam for patients having MRI scans or other investigative procedures.  

It Might Not Help 

Small doses of benzodiazepines e.g. 2mg diazepam are probably unhelpful for most adults for any effective sedation

It Might Have the Opposite Effect

While most people feel sleepy after taking Diazepam, some people feel the opposite. They might become angry or restless. Diazepam can also make people behave in ways they normally wouldn’t, which could cause problems.

It Is Difficult For Us To Time It Right

A patient may take a sedative before their assumed procedure, to then attend the hospital to find their procedure has been delayed or cancelled.  

It Is Outside Of Scope Of Practice

GPs are not regularly involved, skilled, trained or appraised in sedation skills.  All hospital consultants, both those requesting imaging and those providing it, have access to the same prescribing abilities as GPs. If a patient needs a certain medication to enable an investigation to go ahead, they are just as well positioned to provide a prescription, either through the hospital pharmacy or a hospital FP10.  This applies to both the NHS and private specialists.  They can then ensure that appropriate monitoring can be provided to the sedated patient to ensure the investigation or procedure is performed with patient safety as a priority.  

The Royal College of Radiologists‘ own guidelines on sedation for imaging makes no mention of GP involvement or provision of low dose anxiolytics and stresses the importance of experienced well-trained staff involved in the monitoring of sedated patients.  

You may wish to discuss this with your radiologist or consultant.