Latest posts
SPS Resources – UKMi Q&A documents
The UK Medicines Infomation network publish a series of Question & Answer documents via the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service website. The Q&As are a response to demand for accessible summaries of high quality, evidence-based, and quality controlled answers to common or unusual enquiries made to Medicines Information services. A full list of current UKMi Q&As Background information and details of the UKMi Q&A process
Aldosterone Antagonist Monitoring: Room for Improvement in UK Primary Care
NICE recommend offering or considering the addition of an aldosterone antagonist (AA), such as spironolactone and eplerenone, to treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ACEI/ARB) for management of treatment-resistant heart failure or hypertension and for patients who have had an acute MI and who have symptoms and/or signs of heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. NICE also recommend checking blood pressure before and after each AA dose increment and monitoring potassium, creatinine and eGFR at defined regular intervals. A study using CPRD data published in BMJ Open examined recorded biochemical monitoring for patients prescribed AAs in UK primary care. Less than one-third […]
Emollients: risk of severe and fatal burns
The MHRA have issued new warnings about fire & burns risk with emollients. The new warnings state that ALL emollients may pose a risk of severe and fatal burns – regardless of paraffin content or concentration. The MHRA provide the following advice for healthcare professionals: there is a fire risk with all paraffin-containing emollients, regardless of paraffin concentration, and it also cannot be excluded with paraffin-free emollients. A similar risk may apply for other products which are applied to the skin over large body areas, or in large volumes for repeated use for more than a few days. when prescribing, recommending, dispensing, […]
Consultation events on items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care
As part of our latest consultation on items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care the following events are taking place. They will outline proposals for updated CCG guidance, including more effective, safer and/or cheaper alternative items. Please encourage colleagues, GP practices and lay members to book their place: Tuesday 8 January, 12:00-13:00, CCG Medicines optimisation leads webinar. Friday 11 January, 12:00-13:00, CCG Lay Members webinar. Wednesday 16 January, 12:00-13:00, CCG Leaders webinar and GPs webinar 14:00 – 15:00. Please help us to promote the public webinars to patients in your area. Details are available on NHS England’s website.
Flash glucose monitoring
NHS England recently announced that flash glucose monitors will be available on prescription for every patient who qualifies for them, in line with NHS clinical guidelines. This action will end the current variation some patients with Type 1 diabetes are facing. Currently, it is estimated that around 3-5% of patients with Type 1 diabetes in England have access to Flash Glucose Monitors but this new action means it will be funded for 20-25% of patients with Type 1 diabetes, from next year’s funding growth for CCGs. Details of the implementation process will be published on NHS England’s website, with guidelines and […]
New NICE Antibiotic Use Guides – AECOPD & Bronchiectasis
NICE have added two new guides to their Antibiotic Use Collection: Antimicrobial prescribing for Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Antimicrobial prescribing for Acute Exacerbations of non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis
Antibiotic Allergy – Mislabelling Contributes to Resistance
The Lancet has published a global update on antibiotic allergy epidemiology, classification, mechanisms, and management – highlighting the public health importance of reported/recorded penicillin allergy. Antibiotics are the commonest cause of life-threatening immune-mediated drug reactions that are considered off-target, including anaphylaxis, and organ-specific and severe cutaneous adverse reactions. However, many antibiotic reactions documented as allergies were unknown or not remembered by the patient, cutaneous reactions unrelated to drug hypersensitivity, drug-infection interactions, or drug intolerances. Although such reactions pose negligible risk to patients, they currently represent a global threat to public health. Antibiotic allergy labels result in displacement of first-line therapies for […]
COPD – New NICE Guidance
NICE has published updated guidance on Diagnosis & Management of COPD, with new recommendations on: incidental findings on chest X‑rays or CT scans prognosis inhaled therapies prophylactic antibiotics oxygen therapies managing pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale lung volume reduction procedures self-management and exacerbation plans.