NICE Guideline: Antimicrobial stewardship: systems and processes for effective antimicrobial medicine use

‘Antimicrobial stewardship: systems and processes for effective antimicrobial use’ (NG15) provides good practice recommendations on systems and processes for the effective use of antimicrobials. The guideline is aimed at all health and social care practitioners (including GPs, dentists, pharmacists and community nurses), commissioning and provider organisations, and aims to reduce inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics.

The main recommendations are designed to promote and monitor sensible antimicrobial use through stewardship teams to review prescribing and resistance data and to provide feedback, education, and training to prescribers. Specific guidance is given on clinical assessment and documentation of diagnosis, obtaining microbiological samples, delayed prescribing, and taking time to discuss with patients the likely cause of their symptoms.

Paracetamol administration with Meningococcal B (Men B) vaccine

On September 1st the new national Meningococcal B (Men B) immunisation programme for infants began. As administration of Men B vaccine when given with other routine primary vaccines often produces a fever, Public Health England recommend that infants are given a 60mg prophylactic dose of paracetamol at the time or soon after vaccination plus two further doses at intervals of 4-6 hours. The advice from PHE is clear that parents / carers are responsible for obtaining and administering the paracetamol and it should not be prescribed.

Prescribing newsletter August 2015

Prescribing newsletter August 2015 Urinary tract infection: management in elderly patients PresQIPP Acute coronary syndrome: ezetimibe added to simvastatin (IMPROVE-IT study) Buprenorphine patches – potential for confusion Electronic repeat dispensing – NHS England guidance EPS2 – changing nominations We want your feedback: regional antibiotic guideline News from NICE NICE type 2 diabetes: guideline consultation 2 MHRA drug safety updates Co-danthramer and Strong Co-danthramer capsules discontinued

Biosimilars – NICE resource to support the implementation of biosimilar versions of infliximab

NICE has published a new adoption resource to support the introduction of biosimilar versions of infliximab: Inflectra and Remsima. This resource has been developed for both clinicians and non-clinical staff to help manage the introduction of these biosimilar medicines into care pathways safely and effectively.

PINCER (pharmacist-led information technology intervention for medication errors) prescribing safety project in Newcastle practices

Medication errors are common in primary care and are associated with considerable risk of patient harm. The PINCER intervention is an effective method for reducing a range of medication errors in general practices with computerised clinical records and is more effective than simple feedback (Avery et al 2012). The PINCER queries are a set of computerised queries that are run on GP clinical systems to identify ‘at-risk’ patients who are being prescribed drugs commonly associated with medication errors. This exploratory project in Newcastle was undertaken to help gain an understanding of what is involved in actually using the PINCER tool, […]

Newcastle Gateshead CCG Prescribing Engagement Scheme peer review sessions

Two sessions were provided, one at the Newcastle and one at Gateshead time out educational events. 61 out of 65 Newcastle and Gateshead practices attended. The aims of this peer review session were: To support the formation of a peer support network of practice prescribing leads – including sharing of contact details, practice resources and examples of good practice. To review baseline prescribing data for each practice and compare with others in the CCG. To discuss the prescribing engagement scheme indicators and ways to improve prescribing. To learn from each other’s experiences To produce an action plan outlining how the […]

Bimatoprost (Lumigan) recommendations from Newcastle Hospitals Ophthalmology

Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT Ophthalmology Department have confirmed they are recommending that patients be transferred to the 100mcg strength of bimatoprost. If patients complain of problems with the different strength of bimatoprost (0.01% contains more preservative than the 0.03%) they should be referred back to their Glaucoma Specialist for another alternative.

North of Tyne Area Prescribing Committee Update July 2015

Recent Approvals Levonorgestrel 13.5mg IUS (Jaydess®) has been approved as a long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) that differs from Mirena® in that the levonorgestrel dose is lower. It is licensed for nulliparous women but there is not sufficient evidence to support its first line use in this group. Jaydess® can only be used for 3 years compared to 5 years for Mirena® therefore it is marginally more expensive overall however the device is narrower, potentially making insertion easier. Due to the lower progesterone dose users are less likely to experience ovarian cysts. Ivermectin 1% cream (Soolantra®) has been approved, as […]