Events
Spotlight, April 2025
A digest of NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service support for professionals working in all areas of the healthcare system for April 2025.
What’s new in medicines mechanisms and governance PGDs
An update for those involved in medicines governance including managing PGDs and other medicine mechanisms in practice. 13 May 2025.
Worksheet design and aseptic processing control
A bite size learning event on worksheet design and processing control in pharmacy aseptic services. 23 May 2025.
Everything you need to know about off-contract claims
An update on recent developments within Exend+ with a focus on managing and recording off-contract claims. 4 June 2025.
Past Events
Search our library of past events for recordings, presentations, and interviews with speakers, all to inform your practice.
New Guidance
New articles published to the website during April 2025.
Advice for dental teams
Supplying medicines and medical devices: advice for dental teams
Supply of medicines by dentists and dental care professionals depends on the class of medicine, legal mechanism used and requires a local governance framework.
Supplying Prescription Only Medicines: advice for dental teams
Advice on supplying prescription only medicines (POMs) to NHS and private patients by dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists.
Supplying P and GSL medicines: advice for dental teams
Advice on supplying P and GSL medicines to NHS and private patients by dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists.
Supplying medical devices: advice for dental teams
Advice on supplying medical devices directly to NHS and private patients by dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists.
Labelling and packaging medicines supplied by dental teams
Requirements for labelling and packaging medicines before supply by dental teams are detailed in legislation and depend on the classification of the medicine
Safety in breastfeeding
Using contrast agents during breastfeeding
Breastfeeding need not be withheld after commonly used amidotrizoate, barium, gadolinium or iodinated contrast agents. Applies to full term and healthy infants.
PGDs
Intravenous hyoscine butylbromide
SPS PGD template for administering intravenous hyoscine butylbromide for imaging investigations by registered Radiographers.
Covid-19 vaccines
Handling of COVID-19 vaccines
Our COVID-19 vaccines guidance has been revised for Spring 2025; we signpost to sources of useful information
Medication Safety
Developing opioid safety across a system
Strategies and signposting to support safer use of opioids for chronic, non-cancer pain.
Updated guidance
Articles updated for April 2025.
Switching opioids
Switching between morphine and other opioids in palliative care
Switching between oral morphine and other oral opioids requires care and thoughtful application of a stepped process.
Estimating dose equivalence from oral morphine to other opioids
Use our tool to obtain approximate dose equivalences of oral morphine to other oral opioids and help you calculate an estimated equivalent daily dose.
An example oral opioid switch from morphine to oxycodone
An example scenario to support you when switching or advising on switching between morphine and other oral opioids in cancer and palliative care.
Other
Somatic Cell Therapy Medicinal Products – Pharmacy Institutional Readiness Guidance
This document outlines key areas for focus of pharmaceutical expertise prior to an organisation implementing Somatic Cell Therapy Product.
Using potassium permanganate for skin conditions or wound care
Potassium permanganate is a chemical product. We review the evidence for using it in wound care and highlight the risk of severe harm associated with wrong use.
Pain: treatment during pregnancy
A summary of pharmacological options commonly used to treat pain in primary care.
Using contraception with enzyme-inducing medicines
Enzyme-inducing medicines reduce the effectiveness of certain contraceptives. Guidance on using contraception with these medicines is given.
Accessing resources for patients on high risk medicines
A number of resources are available to support the safe use of high-risk medicines. Healthcare professionals should ensure they are available for their patients
Shortages
Medicines Supply Tool
Latest information on supply issues, actions to take, alternatives to use, and expected resolution dates. Content provided by DHSC and MVA team, NHS England.