February 2023 Newsletter
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 RDTC resources to help you make the most of your budget, updates to the cost comparison charts, the voluntary recall of certain FreeStyle Libre 2 sensors, and an E-learning programme on internet safety, suicide, and self-harm. It highlights recent publications from the RDTC including a series of publications as part of the Polypharmacy and Overprescribing theme reviewing opioid prescribing, and a Prescribing Bulletin looking at the budget impact of Metformin immediate release 1g tablets. It also includes another in the series of “Meet the Team” where you can get to know the people behind the work we do. There is also information on some key medicines availability issues and serious shortage protocols
Prescribing for Population Health – Polypharmacy and Overprescribing: Opioids
In recent years, there has been increasing concern regarding the overprescribing of opioids and associated harms. The RDTC has produced a series of publications as part of the Polypharmacy and Overprescribing theme reviewing opioid prescribing:
Each publication includes considerations and interventions for medicines optimisation teams and health systems. To avoid duplication across this series of overprescribing and polypharmacy opioid publications, the suggested actions have only been listed in the most relevant theme but may apply across all. We recommend reading all parts of the series sequentially to ensure the breadth of potential actions are known. The publications can be accessed using the links below:
PPH 3. Polypharmacy & Overprescribing: Opioid patient populations:
This publication aims to support greater understanding of the patient populations prescribed opioids and the inter-relationships and dependencies between prescribing and the available metrics.
PPH 4. Polypharmacy & Overprescribing: Opioid patient demographics:
This publication aims to support greater understanding of the demographics of the patient populations prescribed opioids.
PPH 5. Opioid population health management:
This publication aims to support greater understanding of the population health management of patients prescribed opioids, specifically in terms of deprivation level and the impact on sustainability and climate change.
December 2022 Newsletter
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 polypharmacy, influenza in the community – prescribing antivirals, group A streptococcus in children – advice for clinicians, and the MHRA review on the safe use of valproate. We also include recent publications from the RDTC and another in the series of “Meet the Team” where you can get to know the people behind the work we do. There is also information on some key medicines availability issues and serious shortage protocols.
October 2022 Newsletter
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 covers the RDTC’s Climate Emergency declaration, Pill Swallowing – a skill for life, Metolazone preparations and safety considerations, and the second in the series of “Meet the Team” where you can get to know the people behind the work we do. We also cover the Price concessions and the Discount Deduction scheme, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, and a guide to the COVID-19 autumn booster. There is also information on the changes to the Medicines Information Service, and some key medicines availability issues.
August 2022 Newsletter
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 introduces Strategic Insights, our new publication type, and has the first in a series of “Meet the Team”, where you can get to know the people behind the work we do. We also cover the new national shared care protocols published by NHSE, changes to the childhood vaccination schedule, and outline some resources that are available to support DOAC switches. There is also information on the changes to the Medicines Information Service, and some key medicines availability issues.
New publication type: Strategic Insights
The RDTC has published a new Strategic Insights report on Electronic Repeat Dispensing: understanding the prescribing population & initial barriers to uptake.
Strategic Insight reports are designed to support strategic objectives and planning by Integrated Care System (ICS) leaders. Through the analysis of data and communication with key stakeholders across the ICS, interventions to be undertaken by the ICS are proposed to Integrated Care Boards or associated committees.
This report highlights the benefits of electronic repeat dispensing (eRD) and examines its use at ICS level in the North of England, in order to support systems in identifying where prescribing processes may be further streamlined.
Additional funding from NHS England regional teams has enabled this publication to be made available to non-stakeholders across the North East and Yorkshire, and North West. Further titles in this series will follow, see our work plan for more details.
If you have any queries or comments about this publication, please do not hesitate to contact us at nuth.nyrdtc.rxsupp@nhs.net.
Prescribing support workplan – June
The Prescribing Support workplan has been updated and is now available on the workplan page. The workplan is updated monthly and includes topics in active development.
May 2022 Newsletter
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 covers how the RDTC can support stakeholder organisations, our recent publications, and the prescribing support workplan. It also has features on post exposure prophylaxis for chickenpox and shingles, the national flu immunisation programme 2022-23, inadvertent oral administration of potassium permanganate, the CVD eLearning programme, WHO changes to the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis, and sources of information on menopause and HRT availability.
Prescribing support workplan
This workplan is updated monthly and includes topics in active development.
- To suggest a topic or enquire about anything on this workplan, please email us at nuth.nyrdtc.rxsupp@nhs.net.
- To view a list of recently published items, visit the recent publications page of our website.
- See the last page of the workplan for descriptions of each type of publication, and anticipated publication frequency.
March Newsletter
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 covers RDTC publications produced in the last financial year, specials added to new Part VIIID section of the Drug Tariff, a spotlight on Hidradenitis suppurativa, the potential contamination of infant formula food products, unintentional paracetamol overdose in adult inpatients with low bodyweight, updates to the routine immunisation schedule, and resources relating to Ramadan.