What's new?
May 2012 - DVLA guidelines
The DVLA has published an At a glance guide to current medical standards of Fitness to Drive. This can be accessed in the prescribing section.
May 2012 - NPC Guidance
See the prescribing section for information on the National Prescribing Centre's Guidance for Prescribing of Adult Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS).
April 2012 - Vitamin D supplements
Women and children from families who are eligible for the Government’s Healthy Start scheme can get free vitamin supplements which include vitamin D, in the form of tablets for women and drops for children. For details of those eligible see the CCG newsletter. If a family does NOT qualify for the voucher scheme Healthy Start Vitamins can be purchased in Health Centres. The patient leaflet explains this scheme and shows Healthy Start Centre opening times. The poster may be displayed in practices.
February - March 2012 updated Joint Formulary sections published
Section 4 – Central Nervous System. Addition of Buccolam (buccal midazolam) as an amber 2 drug for status epilepticus
Section 11 – Eye. Reclassification of lubricating eye preparations in section 11.8.1 following the publication of the APC approved “Guide to prescribing for lubricating eye drops”
Section 13 - Skin. Addition of Solaraze as a green drug, addition of Efudix as an amber 2 drug with restrictions & addition of Actikerall as a red drug
New ESCA - Somatropin growth hormone ESCA apporved and published by the Area Preescribing Committee (APC)
January 2012 - updated Joint Formulary sections published
Section 2(Cardiovascular) - Losartan added as a Green drug. Relates to NICE guidance CG 127 Hypertension: clinical management of primary hypertension in adults (August 2011).
Section 6(Endocrine)
Liothyronine reclassification from Red to Amber 2
Bydureon added as an amber 2 drug for patients who are intolerant to Byetta in accordance with the NICE guidance for exenatide and in line with current agreements for the Tier 3 service with restriction to initiation by a specialist
Section 4(CNS)
Xeplion added as a red drug with restriction ‘For use in secondary care or by community CPN teams under direction of a psychiatrist’
Effentora- Remove from formulary
Abstral - added as an Amber 2 drug with restriction ‘Consultant recommendation in palliative care, haematology and oncology patients only’
Flupentixol decanoate, fluphenazine decanoate, haloperidol decanoate, risperidone, zuclopenthixol decanoate & zuclopenthixol acetate - Reclassification to Red
January 2012 - Prescribing for patients with swallowing
difficulties
Prescribing for patients with swallowing
difficulties can present a challenge to GPs. Alternatives to licensed solid oral
dosage forms are not always obvious and the use of unlicensed liquid specials
has, in recent years, come under greater scrutiny. Therefore Stoke on Trent CCG Medicines Management Committee has approved guidance that will help GPs
prescribe for such patients in the most appropriate way. The documents encourage
prescribers to use a stepwise approach in considering the best option for
individual patients and provides examples of options for patients unable to
swallow tablets and capsules.
Stepwise Guide For Prescribing For Patients With Swallowing
Difficulties
Appendix 1 Basic Price Of Unlicensed Medicines (Drug Tariff
December 2011)
Options For Patients Unable To Take Solid Oral Dosage Forms
(Tablets & Capsules)
Further information can be found on the Prescribing page.
January 2012 - Guidelines for prescribing gluten-free products within primary care on NHS prescription (FP10)
This guideline is to support the standardisation of prescribing of gluten-free foods in primary care ensuring best practice and consistency across GP practices. The Guideline applies to people with coeliac disease requiring only gluten-free foods. These guidelines are in line with current guidance from Coeliac UK and have been approved by the relevant Medicines Management Committee.
The STOKE guideline can be accessed from the Prescribing page.
The North Staffordshire guidelines can also be accessed from the Prescribing page.
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