Prescribing Newsletter

Unblocking EPS2

Are you struggling to send some prescriptions by EPS2? The NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d) is the standard […]

Keep your vaccines healthy – something to stick on the fridge

Public Health England (PHE) have produced a “Keep your vaccines healthy” poster – as a source of readily available  information […]

Prevention of Future Death Notice – the EPS system does not highlight urgent prescriptions to pharmacies

  “The EPS system does NOT allow urgent prescriptions to be highlighted to the receiving pharmacy when sent from a […]

Controlled Drugs: Learning from Incidents Issue 9

Controlled Drugs: Learning from Incidents Issue 9 Issue 9 of the bulletin: Controlled Drugs: Learning from Incidents, produced by NECS […]

NICE asthma guidance

There are important differences between new NICE recommendations on asthma treatment and current “standard practice” in the UK. For example, […]

Generic prescribing of anti-seizure drugs

The MHRA has updated guidance on switching between different brands of anti-seizure drugs The revised guidance now clearly states that the […]

NICE Reminder that antibiotics should not be used to treat the majority of sinus infections

NICE Guideline 79 strongly reminds us that antibiotics are very rarely needed for acute sinusitis – with a clear statement that […]

Lactose-Free Medicines

Have you seen an increase in requests for lactose and/or gluten-free medicines? Are you concerned that people may be being […]

Morphine Injections Supply Problems

Currently, there are national supply issues with Morphine Injections, predominately 10mg/ml amps but other strengths may be in short supply.

Practices should continue prescribing morphine injection first line in palliative care but contact community pharmacies at the point of writing the prescription to ascertain stock levels so the prescription can be written for the available strength of amp and correct dose. Do not use morphine if the 10mg, 15mg, 20mg and 30mg ampoules are not available.

Prescribe short duration prescriptions of morphine (no more than 5/7 days) in order to ensure we can maintain supplies to all patients in need.

Please ensure that all prescriptions and administration dosages are double checked by GP practices, Community Pharmacists and Community Nursing to reduce the risk of prescribing and administrative errors and that this is clearly communicated to patients and carers.