Spotlight, June 2025

Published
Topics: Monthly digest

A digest of NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service support for professionals working in all areas of the healthcare system for June 2025.

Events

Investigating deviations and establishing root causes in aseptic services

An SPS Quality Assurance (QA) bite size learning event on deviation investigation and establishing root causes in pharmacy aseptic services. 27 June 2025.

Safer use of time critical medicines

Sharing what has been learnt so far from the national safer use of time critical medicines programme, including improvement interventions. 1 July 2025.

Health and Justice Medicines Optimisation 2025 Update

Sharing the latest developments in Health and Justice medicines optimisation and pharmacy services. 3 July 2025

Biosimilar and key generic medicines July 2025 update

An update supporting system implementation of biosimilar and key generic medicines. 9 July 2025.

Temperature controlled storage of medicines

An SPS Quality Assurance (QA) bite size learning event on storing medicines in controlled temperatures. 25 July 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 June 2025.

Pharmacogenomics

Implementing pharmacogenomic testing for aminoglycosides

Patients with mitochondrial variants have an increased risk of deafness with amikacin, gentamicin, neomycin and tobramycin. Guidance on testing is provided.

PGDs

Doxycycline post exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP)

SPS PGD template for supply of doxycycline post exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP) for the prevention of syphilis.

Administering

Preventing harm from incorrect vinca alkaloid administration

Vinca alkaloids can cause paralysis and death if given by the wrong route. Understand how to reduce the risk to patients.

Intrathecal administration

Managing an intrathecal chemotherapy service

The intrathecal route is a high-risk route of administration. There are minimum requirements for providing intrathecal chemotherapy.

Understanding risks with intrathecal administration

The intrathecal route is a high-risk route of administration. Incorrect administration of medicines unsafe for this route can result in patient death.

Choosing an injectable medicine for intrathecal administration

The intrathecal route is a high risk route of administration. It is essential to consider the properties of the medicinal product when assessing the risk

Updated guidance

Articles updated for June 2025.

Administering

Choosing between fidaxomicin options

Organisations should choose suitable fidaxomicin formulary options and mitigate risks. Several factors affect decision making.

Choosing between oral vancomycin options

Organisations should choose suitable formulary options for oral vancomycin and mitigate risks. Several factors affect decision making.

Considerations for using medicines following bariatric surgery

Guidance on the physiological changes after bariatric surgery that can affect the pharmacokinetics of medicines and supplements.

PGDs

Implementing the SPS Patient Group Direction, Written Instruction and protocol templates

SPS national templates can be implemented by organisations to improve consistency and reduce duplication of effort.

Interactions

Managing interactions with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs)

Interactions with apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban or rivaroxaban can result in increased risks of a bleed or thrombosis. We advise on management options.

Greener NHS

A new banner has been added to articles cited in the RPS Greener Pharmacy Guides as key references. The banner cross-references the relevant Greener Pharmacy Guide metric, helping users quickly identify their relevance to sustainable pharmacy practice. More information can be found on our purpose and values page. 

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.

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