The Medicines Optimisation Group within the Respiratory Arm of the North East & North Cumbria Clinical Networks have produced an “At-a-Glance” guide to Support Greener Respiratory Care across the ICS. The guide aims to help NHS professionals “to improve patient outcomes through better disease control by prescribing the most appropriate inhaler for each individual patient with consideration for Continue Reading »
Bricanyl Turbohaler is the ONLY terbutaline inhaler marketed in the UK. Astra Zeneca UK Ltd have notified the Department of Health and Social Care of a temporary shortage and interruption to supplies. Some stock may be available during December 2018, but the shortage is unlikely to be fully resolved until the end of January 2019. The NHS Specialist Continue Reading »
The North West Medicines Information Service publish monthly “NICE Bites” bulletins summarising key points from NICE Clinical Guidelines and Technology Appraisals in the Implementation Section of the Specialist Pharmacy Service website – and on the East Lancashire Medicines Management site. The most recent bulletin distills 39 pages of recommendations from NICE NG 80 Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma Continue Reading »
There are important differences between new NICE recommendations on asthma treatment and current “standard practice” in the UK. For example, NICE NG 80 recommends an early 4-8 week trial of montelukast plus low dose ICS if newly diagnosed asthma is not controlled by a low dose ICS inhaler alone. An ICS (low dose)/LABA combination is only recommended if Continue Reading »
NHS England have recently introduced new forms for use when ordering home oxygen directly from the supplier via home oxygen order forms (HOOFs). It is recommended that patients are referred to the home oxygen assessment and review service (HOS-AR) service for initiation of home oxygen (there is no change to this process).