Sedation/Anxiolytics for Hospital or Dental Procedures

Putneymead Position Statement on Sedation/Anxiolytics for Hospital or Dental Procedures

GPs in the UK generally do not prescribe sedatives for hospital or dental procedures for several safety reasons outlined in various professional guidelines, including those from the Royal College of Radiologists:

• Sedated patients require continuous monitoring by trained staff with access to resuscitation equipment and reversal agents (antidotes). GPs are not present during hospital procedures and cannot provide this crucial oversight.
• Anxiolytics are most effective when administered at the optimal time, which can be difficult to coordinate with potential hospital delays if taken at home beforehand.
• Patients can have unpredictable (idiosyncratic) reactions to sedatives; a small dose might be ineffective for one person but cause over-sedation or even increased agitation in another.
• If a patient takes a sedative before a procedure requiring formal consent, they may be considered unable to provide valid informed consent.
• 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.

You are welcome to contact the hospital department to discuss what they might be able to offer safely during your appointment. They often have established protocols for managing anxiety, claustrophobia and providing safe sedation.

January 2026