Madeleine Foster, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Clinical Fellow, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 1st and 7th February.

To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter. 

Quick links to highlighted resources: 

Aseptics Stability Tool – log in required

The aseptic stability tool is designed to help those working in NHS Pharmacy Aseptic Services. It provides a comprehensive library of stability monographs to support users to make informed decisions about the shelf life of products prepared in aseptic facilities.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/tools/stability-information-for-aseptic-services/

Cytisinicline for smoking cessation

SPS PGD template for supply of cytisinicline to support smoking cessation in specified individuals.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/cytisinicline-for-smoking-cessation/

New Medicines News

New Medicines News is produced by the SPS Horizon Scanning Service. It highlights recent new product launches and significant medicines regulatory changes.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/new-medicines-news/

Amiodarone monitoring

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/monitorings/amiodarone-monitoring/

Purchasing Specials

Factors to consider when purchasing Specials and imported unlicensed medicines from commercial manufacturers

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/purchasing-specials/

Purchasing for safety

Using principles of purchasing for safety when making purchasing decisions supports the safe clinical use of medicines and can minimise inadvertent harm

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/purchasing-for-safety/

SPS podcasts 

You can access SPS podcasts wherever you normally listen to your podcasts, via the SPS website, or from the SPS SoundCloud  

https://on.soundcloud.com/nhs_sps 

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences 

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/

Podcast description:

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service serves healthcare professionals across the NHS who are involved in all aspects of buying, making and using medicines. Our motto is 'do once and share'.

In this episode John Oliver speaks to expert guests who define unlicensed medicines and explain why we need them. We discuss the shared responsibility for their use and the role of pharmacy in managing them safely. (20m28s)

Speakers:

John Oliver, Quality Assurance Specialist; NHS SPS

Emma Kirk, Medication Safety Officer Network Lead, Medicines Use and Safety Pharmacist; NHS SPS

Linda Hardy, Regional Quality Assurance Pharmacist, NHS SPS, North East and Yorkshire

Nicola Husain, Education and Training Lead for the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacy Group

Tim Root, Specialist Pharmacist (NHS SPS) and a former Chief Pharmacist

Useful links:

MHRA guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supply-unlicensed-medicinal-products-specials (MHRA guidance on unlicensed medicinal products – specials, including Guidance Note 14)

SPS guidance

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/guidance/unlicensed-medicines/

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/understanding-excipients-in-medicines/

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/searching-for-presence-or-absence-of-an-excipient-in-medicines/

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/navigating-a-potential-supply-issue/ (SPS log-in required)

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/managing-complexities-of-medication-use-across-care-boundaries/ (Medication Safety across the System providing resources that include valuable real-world examples of safely managing unlicensed liquid medicines)

Rakhi talks to Antonio about newer therapies for lipid management, incliseran and bemepdoic acid. They discuss their place in therapy and how they may be initiated in primary care.

This is the final part of our three-part series.

Antonio Ochoa-Ferraro: Consultant Pharmacist, Inherited Metabolic Disorders; University Hospitals of Birmingham

Rakhi Aggarwal: Primary Care Lead, Medicines Use and Safety; NHS SPS

Useful links

Cholesterol and Cholesterol levels

https://www.heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol/overview

NICE guidance

Inclisiran: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/TA733

Bempedopic acid with ezetimibe: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta694

NHS England summary of national guidance for lipid management

https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/publication/summary-of-national-guidance-for-lipid-management/

NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB procurement & prescribing of inclisiran

https://www.birminghamandsurroundsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/files/Procurement%20and%20Prescribing%20of%20Inclisiran.pdf?UNLID=93161104220252141045

Novartis inclisiran resources

https://www.pro.novartis.com/uk-en/medicines/cardio-metabolic/leqvio/resources

Open Access Articles

Harnessing RNA Interference for Cholesterol Lowering: The Bench-to-Bedside Story of Inclisiran

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38456415/

Inclisiran administration potently and durably lowers LDL-C over an extended-term follow-up: the ORION-8 trial

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38753448/

Bempedoic Acid for Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in People With Obesity: A CLEAR Outcomes Subset Analysis

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39921511/

Familial hypercholesterolaemia is underdiagnosed and undertreated in the general population: guidance for clinicians to prevent coronary heart disease: consensus statement of the European Atherosclerosis Society

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23956253/

Experienced Medicines Advice pharmacists, Karoline Brennan and Daniel Hill, talk you through how to manage patients who are unable to swallow medicines. We describe a process for choosing suitable formulations, including crushing tablets.

Quick links to resources:

SPS swallowing difficulties resources

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/guidance/swallowing-difficulties/

Choosing medicines formulations in swallowing difficulties

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/choosing-medicines-formulations-in-swallowing-difficulties/

Medicines suitable for adults with swallowing difficulties

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/medicines-suitable-for-adults-with-swallowing-difficulties/

Sheetal Ladva, Senior Medicines Advice Pharmacist, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 25th and 31st January.

To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter. 

Quick links to highlighted resources: 

Using contraception with enzyme-inducing medicines 

Enzyme-inducing medicines reduce the effectiveness of certain contraceptives. Guidance on using contraception with these medicines is given.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-contraception-with-enzyme-inducing-medicines/

Understanding of transcribing for medicines administration

article has undergone a thorough content review, confirming its continued accuracy.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/understanding-transcribing-for-medicines-administration/

SPS podcasts 

You can access SPS podcasts wherever you normally listen to your podcasts, via the SPS website, or from the SPS SoundCloud  

https://on.soundcloud.com/nhs_sps 

 

Medication Safety Update resource - collates all the latest medication safety communications and publications to inform, support and inspire medication safety improvements.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Medication-Safety-Update-January-2025.pdf

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences 

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/

January Spotlight Monthly Digest - provides a summary of SPS outputs and resources.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/sps-spotlight-monthly-digest/#:~:text=January%E2%80%AFSpotlight%20Monthly%20Digest

Twitter Alt Text 

Alt text: A birds eye view picture of white headphones around a mug of coffee and a mobile phone sitting on a pale green wooden surface. 

The text says NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service, New episode available, podcast, NHS SPS Weekly Update, 4 Feb: Monthly medication safety update, safer use of insulin, and updated PGD templates

Penny Daynes, Associate Regional Pharmacy Procurement Specialist, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 18th and 24th January.

To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter.

Quick links to highlighted resources:

Managing dosage adjustments for prescribed medicines

Advice on managing medicines that may require dosage adjustments after they have been prescribed.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/managing-dosage-adjustments-for-prescribed-medicines/

Navigating a potential supply issue (requires log in)

Recommendations for secondary care pharmacy procurement teams to follow before escalating a supply issue or shortage to the SPS Regional Procurement Team.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/navigating-a-potential-supply-issue/

Assessing the clinical impact of lactose in medicines

People with lactose intolerance may request lactose-free medicines although the amounts, when present as an excipient, are unlikely to cause symptoms in most.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/assessing-the-clinical-impact-of-lactose-in-medicines/

SPS podcasts

You can access SPS podcasts wherever you normally listen to your podcasts, via the SPS website, or from the SPS SoundCloud

https://on.soundcloud.com/nhs_sps

We want to hear from you:

To help us evaluate the Medication Safety Update resource, we would be grateful if anyone who uses the Medication Safety Update could complete this short feedback survey.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=VpftQ_9Bv0yVm0BqQIO3iy69MtABWsFCjFDc3yJffiRUM1NNSzVZRFNMVFA5RFlYSDdLQzJFNkhZVy4u

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/

Podcast description:

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service serves healthcare professionals across the NHS who are involved in all aspects of buying, making and using medicines. Our motto is 'do once and share'.

Madeleine Foster, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Clinical Fellow, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 11th and 17th January.

To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter.

Quick links to highlighted resources:

Understanding polypharmacy, overprescribing and deprescribing

We explore the causes, consequences and tools to support pharmacy professionals in managing polypharmacy, overprescribing and deprescribing in practice.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/understanding-polypharmacy-overprescribing-and-deprescribing/

Covert administration of medicines: legal issues

A summary of key legal issues, a pathway of actions and links to national guidance to consider before administering medicines covertly to adults.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/covert-administration-of-medicines-legal-issues/

Assessment and storage of medicines for self-administration

Suitable medicines must be stored safely and securely in accordance with organisational policy, while still supporting self-administration

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/assessment-and-storage-of-medicines-for-self-administration/

New Product Evaluations

A list of new product evaluations that are freely available to NHS staff.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/new-product-evaluations/

We want to hear from you:

To help us evaluate the Medication Safety Update resource, we would be grateful if anyone who uses the Medication Safety Update could complete this short feedback survey.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=VpftQ_9Bv0yVm0BqQIO3iy69MtABWsFCjFDc3yJffiRUM1NNSzVZRFNMVFA5RFlYSDdLQzJFNkhZVy4u

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/

Podcast description:

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service serves healthcare professionals across the NHS who are involved in all aspects of buying, making and using medicines. Our motto is 'do once and share'.

Experienced Medicines Advice pharmacists, Karoline Brennan and Daniel Hill, talk you through how to manage patients who are unable to swallow medicines. We describe a process on how to find the appropriate formulation for your patient if the medicine isn't already covered in the SPS swallowing difficulties resources.

Quick links to resources:

SPS swallowing difficulties resources

www.sps.nhs.uk/home/guidance/swa…ing-difficulties/

Checking if tablets can be crushed or capsules opened

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/checking-if-tablets-can-be-crushed-or-capsules-opened/

Checking if medicines can be given with food

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/checking-if-medicines-can-be-given-with-food/

Covert administration of medicines: legal issues

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/covert-administration-of-medicines-legal-issues/

Link for medicines for children:

https://www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk/medicines

Sheetal Ladva, Senior Medicines Advice Pharmacist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 4th and 10th January.

To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter.

Quick links to highlighted resources:

Prescribing and ordering available pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies

The availability of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies (PERTs) varies currently. Use our resources and mini-tool to find matches for licensed products.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-and-ordering-available-pancreatic-enzyme-replacement-therapies/

We want to hear from you:

To help us evaluate the Medication Safety Update resource, we would be grateful if anyone who uses the Medication Safety Update could complete this short feedback survey.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=VpftQ_9Bv0yVm0BqQIO3iy69MtABWsFCjFDc3yJffiRUM1NNSzVZRFNMVFA5RFlYSDdLQzJFNkhZVy4u

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/

Podcast description:

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service serves healthcare professionals across the NHS who are involved in all aspects of buying, making and using medicines. Our motto is 'do once and share'.

Kieran Reynolds talks to Dr Stephanie Gallard and Liz Kramer about some of the clinical issues you may encounter when providing the infected insect bites/stings service under Pharmacy First. Discussion includes how to differentiate between infected and non-infected insect bites, advice to give patients to prevent insect bites from becoming infected and how patients with insect borne diseases may present. (13m 53)

Dr Stephanie Gallard – GP with special interest in dermatology, PCDS Executive committee member

Kieran Reynolds – Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (Medicines Governance), SPS

Liz Kramer – Community Pharmacist

Useful links:

NHS Lyme disease

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/

PCDS Lyme disease

https://www.pcds.org.uk/clinical-guidance/lyme-disease

Tick Borne Encephalitis

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tick-borne-encephalitis/

Malaria

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/malaria/