News
UKMi Medicines Q&As
The following Medicines Q&As are produced by UK Medicines Information (UKMi) for NHS healthcare professionals in a response to a demand to make available high quality, evidence-based, and quality controlled answers to common or unusual queries made to Medicines Information services.
– What is the available evidence for the use of statins in patients with renal impairment?
– What factors need to be considered when prescribing for lactose intolerant adults?
– Do NSAIDs increase the risk of severe skin reactions in children with chickenpox?
– What are the risks of using antidepressants together with NOACs and how should these risks be managed?
– Can magnesium sulfate be given subcutaneously?
– What factors need to be considered when dosing patients on renal replacement therapies?
– Can high dose loperamide be used to reduce stoma output?
Please visit the SPS website to see more Q&As https://www.sps.nhs.uk/category/qa/
Repevax and Infanrix-IPV PGDs extended until 31st October 2016
The current Patient Group Direction (PGD) for the pre-school booster (combined diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (Repevax and Infanrix IPV vaccines) – NECSAT 2014/014) expires on 31st August 2016. The validity of this PGD has now been extended until 31st October 2016, unless replaced earlier.
Community pharmacy seasonal influenza vaccination
NHS England has published the service specification and accompanying patient group direction (PGD). These are for use by pharmacy contractors who wish to take part in the community pharmacy seasonal influenza vaccination advanced service, which starts on 1 September.
Medicine Matters Summer 2016
Welcome to our new re-launched newsletter, aimed at care home services across the North of England.
Medicine Matters newsletter is produced by a team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who specialise in supporting care homes in the management of medicines. The aims of the newsletter are to:
– Provide a regular quarterly resource of information specific to medicines issues in care homes
– Deliver a short, informative bulletin that care staff find useful and educational
– Inform managers and staff in care homes of current issues regarding medicine management
– Identify and advise on commonly occurring problems regarding medicines in care homes
– Provide anonymous examples of recent “Lessons Learnt” as a mechanism for services to reflect on their practice and improve processes
– Provide access to specialist advice regarding medicines in care homes
Resources to support the care of patients with acute kidney injury
NHS Improvement have issued a stage two alert to continue to raise awareness of AKI and signpost clinicians from all care settings, including GPs and community pharmacists, to a set of resources developed by Think Kidneys https://www.thinkkidneys.nhs.uk/aki/think-kidney-publications/.
These resources support the public and staff working in acute, primary and community care to better understand kidney health and to help prevent, identify and manage AKI.
Vaccine update August 2016
The August edition of vaccine update has been published by Public Health England and features:
– influenza vaccine supply for the children’s part of the flu programme
– guidance on ordering resources including leaflets and posters
UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (UKMEC) updated for 2016
The UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (UKMEC) have been updated with new information including guidance on prescribing in women with rheumatoid arthritis and after bariatric surgery.
Getting the medicines right on transfer of healthcare settings
Transfer of care between healthcare providers and between teams can pose risk to patient safety, particularly where medicines are concerned. The GMC good practice guidance regarding information sharing with colleagues involved in patient care reminds prescribers:
You must contribute to the safe transfer of patients between healthcare providers and between health and social care providers. This means you must share all relevant information with colleagues involved in your patient’s care within and outside the team, including when you hand over care as you go off duty, when you delegate care or refer patients to other health or social care providers. This should include all relevant information about their current and recent use of other medicines, other conditions, allergies and previous adverse reactions to medicines.
New Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS) Website
The Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS) – Medicines Use and Safety (MUS), Procurement, Quality Assurance (QA), Technical Services and UKMi is launching a new website. Its aim is to be “The first stop for professional medicines advice” and it is available from 1st August 2016 at http://www.sps.nhs.uk.
The website includes UKMi resources including Medicines Q&As, the fridge, lactation, compliance aid and patient databases together with horizon scanning and new medicines information.