NHS Dorset is asking PCN teams to review the brand and prescribed formulation of medicines, where multiple brands / formulations exist.
A table of suggested switches can be found in the resources section.
Some brands and formulations of the same medicine offer no clinical advantage, at an increased cost. The potential savings achieved through formulation switching, can enable the NHS budget to be used to greater benefit the Dorset population.
A table of suggested switches can be found in the resources section.
Review the table of proposed medication switches in the resources section, to identify appropriate switches.
Run SystmOne searches to help PCN teams identify patients suitable for product switch within the PCN:
Dorset SystmOne GPs> PINH Finance 2627>Optional medication changes>
Switch patients to the NHS Dorset recommended formulations, taking into consideration any dosage instruction changes which may be required because of the formulation change.
As with all product switches, not all patients will be appropriate for switch.
Where patients are not eligible for product switch, this should be recorded in the patient record e.g. where increasing tablet/capsule burden is not appropriate, patients requiring specific products due to visual impairment, licensing, contraindication, drug interaction, intolerance/allergy to excipients, dietary preference, religious grounds, swallowing issues etc.
Note, where a formulation switch requires a tablet formulation to be halved, the patient’s ability to half a tablet must be considered. Patients are able to purchase a pill cutter form their Community Pharmacy.
Communicate the change to patients using the Template patient letters and text messages within SystmOne:
Template text messages can be found within SystmOne>Msg presets> Medication Management>Formulation> specific template for each product listed
Template Letters can be found within SystmOne>Word letter templates>Dorset CCG> Medicines Management> Formulation> specific template for each product listed
Table of suggested additional cost savings opportunities – coming soon
