Over the last 12 months the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Area Prescribing Committee (LLR APC) has been working with system colleagues to update the guidance relating to Medicines Optimisation at interface between secondary and primary care. This process is now complete and has been approved by the relevant committees to produce guidance that will ensure that patients receive the most efficient transfer of care with medicines.
The key updates to the guidance include (but are not limited too):
- The previous guidance allowed for interpretation of immediate vs non-immediate need when it came to prescribing from outpatients. This has now been removed and the supply of new medicines issued from outpatients (including remote consultations) to cover a 28-day period where appropriate. Exclusion from the 28-day rule includes for example antibiotics, short-term analgesia, short course corticosteroids etc. and a maximum of 30 days supply can be prescribed for controlled drugs. The outpatient clinician will be expected to provide counselling to the patient on the medication(s) initiated and document this within the communication sent to GP practice.
- Updates on the legal responsibility of prescribing during transfer of care
- Patient own medicines and permissions to use their own medicines during inpatient stays where appropriate
- Inclusion of information relating to recent changes with LMWHs and discharge guidance
- Ensuring patients are supplied appropriate ancillary items e.g., syringes for feeds
The guidance has been updated on to the LLR APC website and available at: https://www.areaprescribingcommitteeleicesterleicestershirerutland.nhs.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2015/06/Standards_for_Prescribing_and_-MM_V8.1_Mar12.pdf
Departments across both UHL and LPT have also had the updated guidance and are in the process of implementing this guidance. We have agreed that the guidance will go live as of 1st October 2024 with a 3-month implementation period with the guidance and all principles adhered to from 1st January 2025.