Communications (General Information & Circulars)

MHRA Drug Safety Update – Epimax Ointment and Epimax Paraffin-Free Ointment: reports of ocular surface toxicity and ocular chemical injury 24th July 2024

INTRODUCTION OF UNIVERSAL RSV VACCINATION PROGRAMME FOR OLDER ADULTS AND DURING PREGNANCY FOR INFANT PROTECTION 24th July 2024

Late Prescription Submission Reminder 2nd July 2024

Medicine Supply Notification – Pabrinex® (Vitamins B and C) intravenous and intramuscular high potency solution for injection ampoules 28th June 2024

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE – TOPIRAMATE (TOPAMAX): INTRODUCTION OF NEW SAFETY MEASURES, INCLUDING A PREGNANCY PREVENTION PROGRAMME 24th June 2024

ADDENDUM TO HSS(MD) 51/2023 FULL PACK DISPENSING OF VALPROATE-CONTAINING MEDICINES 5th June 2024

NEW RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF PUBERTY SUPPRESSING HORMONES (PUBERTY BLOCKERS) 5th June 2024

Late Prescription Submission Reminder 4th June 2024

MHRA Drug Safety Update – Topical steroids: introduction of new labelling and a reminder of the possibility of severe side effects, including Topical Steroid Withdrawal Reactions 31st May 2024

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT – SHORTAGE OF PANCREATIC ENZYME REPLACEMENT THERAPY (PERT) 29th May 2024

HEPATITIS C TESTING GUIDANCE 24th May 2024

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT – SHORTAGE OF ORENCIA® CLICKJECT™ (ABATACEPT) 125MG/1ML SOLUTION FOR INJECTION PRE-FILLED PENS 23.05.24

Finasteride: reminder of the risk of psychiatric side effects and of sexual side effects

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT – SHORTAGE OF ERELZI (ETANERCEPT) 50MG SOLUTION FOR INJECTION IN PRE-FILLED PEN

Coding of instalment dispensing forms containing schedule 2 or 3 controlled drugs 2nd May 2024

Late Presctiption submission reminder 2nd May 2024

Alert to Community Pharmacies – Missing Prescriptions 19th April 2024

COVID-19 TREATMENTS UPDATED NICE GUIDANCE 16th April 2024

HSS(MD) 60/2023 (Addendum) – NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT – POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION OF SOME CARBOMER-CONTAINING LUBRICATING EYE PRODUCTS WITH BURKHOLDERIA CENOCEPACIA – MEASURES TO REDUCE PATIENT RISK 10th April 2024

MPS to pharmacy contractors re “Owings” 9th April 2024

Presctiption submission reminder 29th March 2024

HOW TO OBTAIN CLINICALLY URGENT MEDICINES OUT OF HOURS 15th March 2024

COVID-19 2024 SPRING BOOSTER PROGRAMME 8th March 2024

UPDATE TO COVID-19 TESTING GUIDANCE 1st March 2024

Presctiption submission reminder 4th March 2024

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT – SHORTAGE OF SALBUTAMOL 2.5MG/2.5ML AND 5MG/2.5ML NEBULISER LIQUID UNIT DOSE VIALS 27th Feb 2024

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE – PSEUDOEPHEDRINE : VERY RARE RISK OF……….23rd Feb 2024

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE – CODEINE LINCTUS (CODEINE ORAL SOLUTIONS): RECLASSIFICATION TO POM 23rd Feb 2024

Revised Discounting Arrangements 23 February 2024

Valproate: important new regulatory measures for oversight of prescribing to new patients and existing female patients plus Letter 21st Feb 2024

Deletion of Fontus Health Aproderm® skin products from the Northern Ireland Drug Tariff 15th February 2024

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE- ISOTRETINOIN (ROACCUTANE▼): INTRODUCTION OF NEW SAFETY MEASURES, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT OF THE INITIATION OF TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE 13th February 2024

Prescription submission reminder 2nd February 2024

MHRA Drug Safety Update – Valproate 31st January 2024

Fluoroquinolone-antibiotics-and-Omega-3-acid-ethyl-ester-medicines 31st January 2024

Out of Pocket Expenses for Laryngectomy and Tracheostomy Products 25th January 2024

SEASONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION OFFER TO ALL 50-64 YEAR OLDS AND ALL HSC WORKERS 17th Jan 2024

Industrial Action (18th January 2024) Communication 17th January 2024

Addition of FreeStyle Libre 3 to the NI Drug Tariff 11th January 2024

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT – SHORTAGE OF GLP-1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS (UPDATE) 4th January 2024

COVID-19 TREATMENTS FOR THOSE AT HIGHEST RISK: CHANGE IN REPORTING OF POSITIVE COVID-19 RAPID LFT 19th Dec 2023

MHRA Drug Safety Update – 1. Aripiprazole 2. Vitamin B12 19th Dec 2023

CONFIRMED INFLUENZA IN NORTHERN IRELAND – NICE GUIDANCE ON USE OF ANTIVIRALS NOW APPLIES 18th Dec 2023

LOOKING AFTER YOU AND/OR YOUR PHARMACY TEAM’S MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING 18th December 2023

Prescription submission reminder (pdf) 5th December 2023

Addition of Omeprazole 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free to Part 1 of the NI DT (pdf) 3rd November 2023

Prescription submission reminder (pdf) 2nd November 2023

An update on the BSO website (pdf) 27th October 2023

Sodium valproate: all preparations are now special containers 17th October 2023

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE – STATINS: VERY INFREQUENT REPORTS OF MYASTHENIA GRAVIS, AND FLUOROQUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIOUR 29th September 2023

THE 2023/24 SEASONAL INFLUENZA AND COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAMMES FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE WORKERS 11th September 2023

COVID-19 AUTUMN WINTER BOOSTER VACCINATION PROGRAMME 2023 6th September 2023

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE- VALPROATE: RE-ANALYSIS OF STUDY ON RISKS IN CHILDREN OF MEN TAKING VALPROATE 6th September 2023

MHRA Drug Safety Update – Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics 6th Sept 2023

SEASONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION PROGRAMME 2023/24 5th September 2023

PHARMACY FOUNDATION TRAINING YEAR PLACEMENT GRANT 23/24 & Application Form 31.08.23

SHINGLES VACCINATION PROGRAMME INTRODUCTION OF SHINGRIX® VACCINE INTO THE ROUTINE PROGRAMME AND CHANGES TO ELIGIBLE COHORTS 14th August 2023

WORLD PATIENT SAFETY DAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2023

MHRA Drug Safety Update – July 2023

Apixaban and Sitagliptin prescriptions 2nd August 2023

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE AND NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT- CALCIUM CHLORIDE, CALCIUM GLUCONATE: POTENTIAL RISK OF UNDERDOSING WITH CALCIUM GLUCONATE IN SEVERE HYPERKALAEMIA.

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE: NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDS): POTENTIAL RISKS FOLLOWING PROLONGED USE AFTER 20 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY 29th June 2023

MHRA DRUG SAFETY UPDATE: ADRENALINE AUTO-INJECTORS (AAIS): NEW GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES FOR SAFE USE 29th June 2023

FEBUXOSTAT: UPDATED ADVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH A HISTORY OF MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

GLUCOSE SOLUTIONS: RECOMMENDATIONS TO MINIMISE THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENTAL USE OF GLUCOSE SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF SALINE SOLUTIONS IN ARTERIAL LINES

DIRECT-ACTING ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS (DOACS): PAEDIATRIC FORMULATIONS; REMINDER OF DOSE ADJUSTMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH RENAL IMPAIRMENT

SUMMARY – ESSURE CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES 17th May 2023

JANUS KINASE (JAK) INHIBITORS: NEW MEASURES TO REDUCE RISKS OF MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS, MALIGNANCY, VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM, SERIOUS INFECTIONS AND INCREASED MORTALITY 02.05.23

NITROFURANTOIN: REMINDER OF THE RISKS OF PULMONARY AND HEPATIC ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS 02.05.23

Isotretinoin (Roaccutane▼): new safety measures to be introduced in the coming months, including additional oversight on initiation of treatment for patients under 18 years 28.04.2023

CMO Letter – STRATEGY FOR MPOX (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MONKEYPOX) CONTROL plus UK Strategy 21st March 2023

CHANGES TO THE HPV VACCINATION SCHEDULE – REDUCTION TO ONE DOSE 20th March 2023

PHOLCODINE: DRUG SAFETY UPDATE- PHOLCODINE-CONTAINING COUGH AND COLD MEDICINES: WITHDRAWAL FROM UK MARKET AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE 14th March 2023

Part III appliance out of pocket pilot- January 2023 14th February 2023

SUPPLY OF LICENSED AND UNLICENSED EPIDURAL BAGS – NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY ALERT 25.01.23

CHANGES TO THE HPV VACCINATION SCHEDULE 16th January 2023

Serious Shortage Protocols: Submission Information for Contractors NI : Reminder 3rd Jan 2023

VALPROATE: DRUG SAFETY UPDATE- REMINDER OF THE CURRENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS; INFORMATION ON NEW SAFETY MEASURES 14th December 2022

GUIDANCE ON PLACE OF BIRTH: IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED 22nd November 2022

Letter from Canice Ward to registered pharmacies re private prescribing 14th November 2022

Winter letter from Prof Sir Michael McBride and Attachment 14th November 2022

Grant Funding Allocation – DM+D Clinical System Amendment 9th November 2022

UPDATED COVID-19 TESTING GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT CLINICAL PATHWAYS 9th November 2022

Letter from Minister Swann 27th October 2022

PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGE TO ALL HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PROVIDERS REGARDING EBOLA VIRUS OUTBREAK IN UGANDA (SUDAN EBOLAVIRUS) updated 26th October 2022

Liothyronine prescribing: choice of formulation 20th October 2022

Promoting Safer Sleeping For Infants Guidance 13th October 2022

Revised 2022 Promoting Safe Sleeping for Infants Guidance 13th October 2022

Changes to the Distribution of Paper Copies of BNF and BNFC Letter

Changes to the Distribution of Paper BNF – Updated

Monkeypox Vaccination 27/7/22

TOPIRAMATE (TOPAMAX): Start of safety review triggered by a study reporting an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities in children with prenatal exposure

Reminder – Campaign 1 – “Know, Check, Ask”

Monkeypox Vaccination June 15 2022

MPS 2904 – Hypromellose 0.3% eye drops 10ml

Monkeypox becomes a notifiable disease in Northern Ireland

Responsibility for prescribing between primary, secondary and tertiary care services for the supply of medicines and other pharmaceutical products letter

Responsibility for prescribing between primary, secondary and tertiary care services for the supply of medicines and other pharmaceutical products

Immediate actions in response to cases of Monkeypox virus in UK with no travel history

Product Recall Information notice – Abbott recalls two infant formula powders (Update)

Product Recall Information notice – Abbott recalls two infant formula powders because of the possible presence of Salmonella

Contractors Providing Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST):Prescribing and Dispensing of Methadone tablets

Reminder – Continued Use of Urgent Pandemic Packs in Nursing Homes

Dysphagia Regional Guidance Letter

Learning Matters Special Edition October 21

Urgent Safety Communication – Gentamicin Intrathecal 5mg/ml Solution

Learning From Adverse Incidents – Prescribing of Strong Opioids in Syringe Drivers

POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) LAXATIVES AND STARCH-BASED THICKENERS: POTENTIAL INTERACTIVE EFFECT WHEN MIXED, LEADING TO AN INCREASED RISK OF ASPIRATION

Risk to Patient Safety : Parallel Imports of Thickeners & Thickened ONS

Revised RQIA/GAIN Hyperkalaemia Guidline

Use of EMA authorised medicines & Joint letter

Freestyle Libre Pathway

Patient Safety Alert – Philips Ventilator – CPAP BiPAP Devices

Hepatitis C Becomes a Notifiable Disease in Northern Ireland

Consultation on Duty of Candour

Letter from Canice Ward – Sales of Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine

Supply Route for Insulin Safety Needles and Safety Lancets

Medicines Optimisation Regional Efficiency (MORE) Programme Letter

HSC Policy Statement on Implementation of MORE

MPS 2779 – Melatonin 2mg, 3mg and 5mg capsules (Colonis Pharma Ltd)

Combination anti-platelet therapy for patients who have a coronary stent

Appendix A – DAPT Patient Letter

Appendix B – DAPT Professional Staff Information Leaflet

Potential Diversion of Oromucosal Buprenorphine (Espranor)

National Patient Safety Alert – Corticosteroid Medication

Oral Emergency Contraception

Patient Safety Alert – BD I.V. and Gravity Feed Infusion Sets

Patient Safety Alert – BD

Patient Safety Alert – MHRA

Controlled Drug Declaration and Self-Assessment 2021

Changeover to Freestyle Libre 2 Sensors – Letter / Comparrison Table / Template / PIL

Stock Requisitions : Learning From Recent Review

Controlled Drugs : Private Prescriptions (PCD1s) and Private Stock Requisitions (CDRF1s) – Reminder

Learning from Serious Adverse Incident (SAI) : Action Required when a Patient Receiving Oral Substitution Treatment (OST) Misses Doses or Circumstances Change (Jan 2021)

Safety of Antiepileptic Drugs in Pregnancy – Updated Advice

Prescribing of Vitamin D as a Preventative Measure Against COVID-19

CPO to Healthcare Sector – Falsified Medicines Directive

Import Declaration for Medicines and Medical Supplies

Cannabis Based Products for Medicinal Use – UPDATE

Phenobarbital Elixir Alcohol Level Guidance

Cannabis Based Products for Pain

Update GLP1 agnostics – Liraglutide and Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity

HSCNI Email Step by Step User Guide

New CD Stock Requisition Forms (Schedule 2&3)

Appendix 2 to New CD Stock Requisition Forms (Schedule 2&3)

Communications (General Information & Circulars)

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