An alert was issued advising against use of Dermapen 3 and Dermapen Cryo Sterile single use needle cartridge tips for Dermapen 3 since their safety cannot be verified.
A letter was sent to advise healthcare professionals about a restriction to the indication and route of administration for Mitomycin-C Kyowa 40 mg following the observation of increased sub-visible particles in the drug product on storage. A letter was also sent to notify healthcare professionals of a risk of medication error with various Santen eye drop products during the period of transition to new bottles.
Prescribers should be alert for neuropsychiatric reactions in patients taking montelukast and carefully consider the benefits and risks of continuing treatment if they occur.
There is a growing number of people who need access to high-quality endof-life care in the home setting. This requires timely assessments of needs, ensuring good symptom management and recognising the roles undertaken by carers. For some patients, a range of medications may need to be put in place to relieve end-of-life symptoms, using ‘anticipatory prescribing’. District nurses must ensure that they acknowledge the patient's voiced preferences and be mindful of the safety issues that arise with the supply of controlled drugs in the home. This article highlights the challenges faced by district nurses providing or dealing with anticipatory prescribing during end-of-life care. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The article discusses changes to the way the module was taught that can enhance student learning within the NMP module and facilitate wider success and confidence among community nurse prescribers. The move from Nursing and Midwifery Council standards for prescribing to a single competency framework from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has encouraged academics to revisit teaching strategies and consider an approach that offers wider student participation in learning. The use of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) in HEIs is part of national recommendations to improve the student experience and increase success. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
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Polypharmacy: Getting our medicines right provides a summary of the scale and complexity of the issue of polypharmacy. It outlines how healthcare professionals, patients and carers can find solutions when polypharmacy causes problems for patients and points to useful resources that can help.
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This guideline sets out an antimicrobial prescribing strategy for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It aims to optimise antibiotic use and reduce antibiotic resistance.
It's very important that these findings aren't taken out of context. Many people across the UK are prescribed statins and the reports may cause undue alarm that everyone should be on a higher dose. People who have risk factors for heart disease and a raised cholesterol, but who have no history of heart attack or stroke, are recommended to start on a low-dose statin (usually 20mg atorvastatin).
The people in this study were specifically high-risk patients, most of whom had already had a heart attack or stroke. Current UK guidelines already recommend that these people are given a high-dose statin (usually 80mg atorvastatin).
This article provides an insight for clinical nurse prescribers who may have limited knowledge of the implications of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) on their practice. It will provide an insight into the common characteristics of the condition, alongside an overview of contextual and situational issues of direct relevance to sensory overload and underload. Through this, awareness is raised of how specific adaptations to practice might be made to support and empower those people living with the condition, and their families and carers. The need for individualised, holistic care is emphasised alongside information of specific relevance to the practicalities of nurse prescribing in practice. The article also outlines the issues of polypharmacy and pharmacotherapy of relevance to patients with ASD and the precursors to these, which can be readily identified in practice. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Prescribing medications in the custodial environment is rewarding, but intrinsically challenging. Multiple chronic and acute illnesses co-exist for a substantial proportion of the patients. Many patients have engaged poorly with health services before entering custody. Polypharmacy and neglect are common; and there is a constant threat of contraband medications entering prison, medication hoarding, and on-distribution of prescribed medications for non-prescribed purposes. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
This guidance is to help GPs and healthcare staff to treat infections and use antibiotics responsibly.
Public Health England (PHE) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) jointly produced the summary tables which are hosted on the NICE website.
The context, references and rational document explains the PHE content in the joint tables.
RCPCH responds to new research which suggests these drugs may alter gut microbes associated with weight gain.
Young children prescribed antibiotics and, to a lesser extent, drugs to curb excess stomach acid, may be at heightened risk of obesity, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.
GPs will be handing out postcards explaining why they are not prescribing antibiotics for a range of common conditions such as coughs and colds, minor ear infections and sore throats.CCG lead pharmacist Dr Manir Hussain, Deputy Director for Primary Care and Medicines Optimisation said: “There is no doubt that in the past too many antibiotics have been prescribed and now some patients expect to come away from an appointment with a prescription for them.
The ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ campaign returns to alert the public to the risks of antibiotic resistance, urging them to always take their doctor, nurse or healthcare professional’s advice on antibiotics.