NHS boards may commission practices to provide an enhancedservice for patients suffering from drug misuse under the terms of the generalmedical services contract and this would require the use of clinical guidelinessuch as the UK national guidelines Drug Misuse and Dependence –Guidelines on Clinical Management.In addition, as part oftheir continuing professional development, GPs are expected to keep up-to-datewith the latest developments in clinical practice, including the latestguidelines which relate to their areas of clinical practice.