prescribing guidance
NICE is a non‐departmental public body that provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care in England.
NICE guidelines make evidence‐based recommendations on a wide range of topics including:
preventing and managing specific conditions;
improving health;
managing medicines in different settings;
providing social care and support to adults and children;
planning broader services and interventions to improve the health of communities.
Within each NICE guideline, there are recommendations regarding the care (including medications) and services that are suitable for most people with a specific condition or need. NICE guidelines are used by NHS England and NHS clinical commissioners to develop services and are a reference guide for healthcare professionals, with recommendations about medications that should and should not be prescribed. The guidelines also cover areas that patients should be able to manage themselves and obtain, if necessary, appropriate over‐the‐counter medications.
Table 2.3 Examples of local and national prescribing guidelines
| Local Guidance | National Guidance |
|---|---|
| to your team, service or condition you are working withinNHS organisation/employergeographical region | NICE or SIGN guidancenational networksclinical groupscharities |
Clinical considerations
In your area of practice, choose a medical condition that you are familiar with.
Check to see if there is a local (to your Trust/employer) and/or national guideline for this condition.
Is the guidance the same as within the BNF?
Are there are any differences in recommendations? If so, think why this may be.
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)
The SIGN was formed to improve the quality of healthcare for patients in Scotland by reducing variation in practice and outcome. SIGN collaborate with a network of clinicians, other health and social care professionals, patient organisations and individuals to develop evidence‐based guidelines. SIGN guidelines are based on a systematic review of the scientific literature and are aimed at aiding the translation of new knowledge into action. The guidelines are intended to:
help health and social care professionals and patients understand medical evidence and use it to make decisions about healthcare;
reduce unwarranted variations in practice and make sure patients get the best care available, no matter where they live;
improve healthcare across Scotland by focusing on patient‐important outcomes.
NICE and SIGN both produce patient booklets that are a lay translation of the clinical guidelines. These booklets explain the recommendations in the clinical guideline and help to make patients aware of the treatment they should expect to receive. They are intended to:
help patients and carers understand the latest evidence about diagnosis, treatment and self‐care;
empower patients to participate fully in decisions about the management of their condition in discussion with healthcare professionals;
highlight where there are areas of uncertainty in the management of their condition.
Conclusion
This chapter has provided an overview of the main pharmaceutical and prescribing reference guides used within clinical practice. Guidance has been given to encourage you to start to navigate the BNF in particular, to ensure you know where to find all the information needed about any medicinal product or device in order to ensure safe and effective practice. The differences between paper based and online versions have been highlighted to ensure you are aware where to access the most up‐to‐date and accurate drug information.
References
1 Joint Formulary Committee (2019a). How BNF publications are constructed: Assessing the evidence [Online]. https://bnf.nice.org.uk/about/how‐bnf‐publications‐are‐constructed.html (accessed 17 September 2019).
2 Joint Formulary Committee (2019b). British National Formulary: How to use BNF publications online [Online]. London: Joint Formulary Committee. https://bnf.nice.org.uk/about/how‐to‐use‐bnf‐publications‐online.html (accessed 17 September 2019).
3 Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018a). The Code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates [Online]. www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code (accessed 20 September 2019).
4 Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018b). Standards of proficiency for nursing associates [Online]. https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards‐for‐nursing‐associates/standards‐of‐proficiency‐for‐nursing‐associates/ (accessed 20 September 2019).
5 Young, S. and Pitcher, B. (2016). Medicine Management for Nurses at a Glance. Oxford: Wiley.
Further reading
Electronic Medicines Compendium www.medicines.org.uk/emc
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Information on Medicines and Prescribing www.nice.org.uk/about/nice‐communities/medicines‐and‐prescribing
Joint Royal Colleges of Ambulance and Liaison Committee (JRCACLC) www.jrcalc.org.uk
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) www.sign.ac.uk
1 UK Drug Tariff https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pharmacies‐gp‐practices‐and‐appliance‐contractors/drug‐tariff
Multiple choice questions
1 Which of the following are all pharmaceutical reference guides?MIMS, NICE, and emcSIGN, BNF, and MIMSBNF, MIMS, and emc
2 What does the BNF stand for?British National FormularyBritish National FormulationsBranded National Formulary
3 How many times a year is the BNF published?OnceTwiceThree times
4 Does the BNF detail all the information necessary for prescribing and dispensing?Yes, alwaysNot alwaysNo
5 What does PoM stand for?Pharmacy‐only medicinePrescribed oral medicinePrescription‐only medicine
6 MIMS is primarily intended for use in which healthcare