NHS Medicines Optimisation Opportunities Dashboard
At the end of July 2023 NHSE published guidance titled “National medicines optimisation opportunities 2023/24”. This guidance describes the 16 national medicines optimisation opportunities for the NHS in 2023/24, and signposts to resources to help with their implementation. It recommends Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) choose at least five medicines optimisation opportunities to focus and deliver on alongside their local medicines optimisation priorities. Progress against chosen opportunities will be reviewed using available data.
The RDTC has developed a Northern regions dashboard to highlight the current position of the ICBs across the North of England in relation to these 16 priorities. It will incorporate the metrics that are being developed nationally, but also include metrics which are designed to support medicines optimisation opportunities across the North.
Metrics within this dashboard continue to be developed and updates will be communicated out to stakeholders as they happen. Data is now provided within the report at SICBL level where available.
The dashboard is provided to NHS colleagues only, please do not share outside the NHS.
If you have problems accessing this file due to a security warning, please see this advice on opening the file. For further assistance, please email us at nuth.nyrdtc.rxsupp@nhs.net.
We have also developed 9 individual reports covering 12 of the medicines optimisation opportunity topics which can be found on their dedicated pages:
- Antibacterial – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Antidepressants – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Blood Glucose Test Strips – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Cardiovascular – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Inhaler Carbon Footprint – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Low priority prescribing – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Opioids – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Polypharmacy – MO opportunities – RDTC
- Sodium Valproate – MO opportunities – RDTC
Monthly formulary amendments – December 2024
Monthly Formulary Amendments Documents list any NICE Technology Appraisals, NICE Guidelines, MHRA Drug Safety Updates, and National Patient Safety Alerts published in the previous calendar month which may have an impact on local formularies and guidelines. This document is for APCs, and formulary committees to ensure formularies remain up to date, and in line with latest NICE guidance and safety information.
This edition covers guidance and alerts published in December 2024.
It includes a suggested formulary position for APCs/formulary committees, together with a summary of any financial/commissioning implications. The purpose of the document is to support consistent decision making by APCs.
This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals and RDTC stakeholders
Formulary assessment – Ibuprofen 200 mg/50 ml solution for infusion
Formulary assessment tools are templates to support local decision making. They list NICE guidance, MHRA safety advice, and other relevant high quality advice and guidelines relevant to making decisions for local formularies.
The templates are pre-populated with useful information to reduce duplication of effort, with space for the addition of local information as appropriate. The purpose of the document is to support consistent decision making by formulary groups and APCs.
The information in this document is correct at the time of publication and formulations may change. This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals and RDTC stakeholders.
Prescribing Update Newsletter – November/December 2024
Prescribing support newsletters aim to inform readers of work done by the unit and work in progress, to help tailor local work plans and highlight any ‘topical’ issues in prescribing or medicines management.
If you have any suggestions for future topics for the newsletter, then please contact nuth.nyrdtc.rxsupp@nhs.net
This month’s edition focuses on the new NICE/BTS/SIGN asthma guidance and highlights some examples of the work we have carried out on your behalf in 2024. It also includes information on key medicines availability issues, recent RDTC publications, and the dates of our upcoming demo and Q&A sessions on RDTC reports, publications, and resources.
View the preview below on desktop, or click here to download a copy.
Monthly Horizon Scanning Report – December 2024
Monthly horizon scanning reports are designed to inform the NHS about new products, significant changes to product licenses, significant new guidance, and decisions that have been made by recognised bodies.
This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals.
ASTRO-PU: Updated weightings for 2024 population
ASTRO-PUs were developed with the intended purpose of enabling adjustment to the cost-based medicines dispensed (prescribing) data to account for the demographic variables of age, sex and temporary resident status. However, changes in prescribing behaviour and trends, alongside demographics, over time, necessitate that this weighting is refreshed to ensure that it remains accurate.
The RDTC in collaboration with Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS, have calculated updated ASTRO-PUs (both cost and item based ‘age, sex and temporary resident originated prescribing units’) for England. This bulletin describes the methodology and revised ASTRO-PU weightings.
Monthly formulary amendments – December 2023
Monthly Formulary Amendments Documents list any NICE Technology Appraisals, NICE Guidelines, MHRA Drug Safety Updates, and National Patient Safety Alerts published in the previous calendar month which may have an impact on local formularies and guidelines. This document is for APCs, and formulary committees to ensure formularies remain up to date, and in line with latest NICE guidance and safety information.
This edition covers guidance and alerts published in December 2023.
It includes a suggested formulary position for APCs/formulary committees, together with a summary of any financial/commissioning implications. The purpose of the document is to support consistent decision making by APCs.
This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals and RDTC stakeholders.
Monthly Horizon Scanning Report – December 2023
Monthly horizon scanning reports are designed to inform the NHS about new products, significant changes to product licenses, significant new guidance, and decisions that have been made by recognised bodies.
This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals.
Prescribing Update Newsletter – December 2023
Prescribing support newsletters aim to inform readers of work done by the unit and work in progress, to help tailor local work plans and highlight any ‘topical’ issues in prescribing or medicines management.
If you have any suggestions for future topics for the newsletter, then please contact nuth.nyrdtc.rxsupp@nhs.net
This month’s edition focuses on our new NHS Medicines Optimisation Opportunities Dashboard, and our Strategic Insight publication: Defining the type-2 diabetic population: a first step to understanding the impact of pathway choices. There is also information on serious shortage protocols, some key medicines availability issues, and the dates of our upcoming demo and Q&A sessions on RDTC reports, publications, and resources. It also includes another in the series of “Meet the Team” where you can get to know the people behind the work we do.
View the preview below on desktop, or click here to download a copy.
Monthly formulary amendments – November 2023
Monthly Formulary Amendments Documents list any NICE Technology Appraisals, NICE Guidelines, MHRA Drug Safety Updates, and National Patient Safety Alerts published in the previous calendar month which may have an impact on local formularies and guidelines. This document is for APCs, and formulary committees to ensure formularies remain up to date, and in line with latest NICE guidance and safety information.
This edition covers guidance and alerts published in November 2023.
It includes a suggested formulary position for APCs/formulary committees, together with a summary of any financial/commissioning implications. The purpose of the document is to support consistent decision making by APCs.
This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals and RDTC stakeholders.