24/12/19: Antimicrobial guidelines for Staffordshire and Stoke CCGs

The Staffordshire and SOT Antimicrobial prescribing guidelines for managing common infections in primary care have been updated. This document is now available on netFormulary. Clinicians should familiarise themselves with the document and employ its use in clinical practice. Any queries can be directed to the Medicines Optimisation Team.

21/11/19: Asthma guidelines for Staffordshire and SOT CCGs

The APC/APG has approved the Staffordshire and SOT CCGs Asthma Guidelines. This document is now available on netFormulary. Clinicians should familiarise themselves with the document and employ its use in clinical practice. Any queries can be directed to the Medicines Optimisation Team. 

14/11/19: Updated Renal ESCAs in North Staffs (approved by APC)

Clinicians should take note of the updated ESCAs for Lanthanum and Sevelamer, both used for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in pre-dialysis CKD patients in North Staffordshire. Any questions relating to these documents can be sent to the Medicines Optimisation team.

14/10/19: Update on current supply issue of all brands of adrenaline auto-injectors

Clinicians should note the latest stock availability update from DHSC concerning adrenaline auto-injectors (see table below). Due to the supply issues with some brands, it may be necessary to switch patients to an alternative brand that they are unfamiliar with. Clinicians should support switching and ensure patients know how to use the alternative product that is supplied. 

Specific training and advice are required for each of the devices. Please follow the links to the relevant training videos below:

EpiPen:            http://www.epipen.co.uk/demonstrationvideo/

Jext:                 https://hcp.jext.co.uk/

Emerade:          https://www.emerade-bausch.co.uk/patient/how-to-use-emerade

01/08/2019:  Emerade® adrenaline auto-injectors supply issues

There is a short-term supply issue affecting Emerade® 500 microgram and 300 microgram adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs). Bausch & Lomb are the sole UK supplier of Emerade® devices in the UK. New supplies of Emerade® 500 microgram are expected by the end of August 2019. Limited stock of Emerade® 300 microgram is available. Currently, new supplies are expected by the end of September 2019.

Two alternative AAI devices are available in the UK- EpiPen® and Jext®. Both Jext® and EpiPen® AAIs are currently available, however, supplies of Jext® are unlikely to be sufficient to support a significant switch to this product and therefore where there is no patient / clinician preference, EpiPen® should be considered as the first line alternative. The devices differ slightly in the administration technique and specific training is required for each device.

16/07/19: Diamorphine 5mg injection supply issue

There is currently supply issues with Diamorphine 5mg injections. The national Medicines Shortage Response Group (MSRG) have recommended the following:

Primary care, private hospitals, hospices & substance misuse treatment centres: There is sufficient diamorphine 10mg injection to support the forecasted use of the diamorphine 5mg strength. Order stock from usual wholesalers.

Secondary care NHS Trusts: Hameln's morphine 10mg injection (p/free) is the first line alternative. Trusts should order in line with historical demand. Do not stockpile which may potentiate supply issues of this product.

05/06/2019: HRT Supply Issues

There are currently stock availability issues for a number of hormonal replacement therapy preparations. Please establish local availability prior to issuing prescriptions. For further information and guidance, please contact the Medicines Optimisation Team at medopsqueries@stoke.nhs.uk 

10/05/19: Epanutin 50mg Infatabs Supply Issue

Clinicians should read the attached information from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) concerning global supply issues of Epanutin 50mg Infatabs until November 2019. Prescribers must exercise caution and increase patient monitoring if prescribing a product from a different manufacturer as this is a Category 1 antiepileptic drug.

08/04/2019 New How To Guide for the North Staffordshire Joint Formulary

A newer updated version of the How To Guide has been uploaded to the front page of the Formulary

25/03/19: North Staffordshire CCGs move from pdf version to netFormulary

Welcome to the new North Staffordshire Joint Formulary hosted on netFormulary. This replaces the previous .pdf version of the Joint Formulary. Healthcare professionals across North Staffordshire are hereby required to only access the online version of this Joint Formulary. The North Staffordshire Joint Formulary is the preferred prescribing list for North Staffordshire CCGs including University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), North Staffs Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT).

Please note that the South Staffordshire Joint Formulary (which is also hosted on netFormulary) remains the preferred Prescribing list for South Staffordshire CCGs, including Burton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Cannock and Stafford Hospitals Foundation Trust.

For any formulary related questions or support, please contact representatives of your relevant organisation:

- For Primary Care: Denis Kanu (CCGs Interface Pharmacist) - medopsqueries@stoke.nhs.uk 
- For Secondary Care: Xin Wei Tan (Secondary/Primary Care Interface Pharmacist, UHNM) -  Xinwei.Tan@uhnm.nhs.uk

Thank you