NHS SPS - Specialist Pharmacy Service – The first stop for professional medicines advice

Recommended across the site

Prescribing with confidence podcast series

Exploring real-world prescribing through expert insights, practical tools, and lived experiences to support prescribers in developing safe, confident practice.

Heatwaves and medicines: assessing and managing patient risk

Hot weather can affect the body’s responses to some medicines and medical devices. Identify people at risk and manage the potential impact.

Managing temperature excursions

Where temperature excursions occur, follow a defined process to manage and mitigate the effects on medicines

Aseptic services

All our resources for pharmacy aseptic services.

Annual medicines planning

Our annual Prescribing Outlook outputs support planning, implementation and budget planning for medicines every year.

Biosimilars

Regularly updated material to support the introduction of aflibercept, golimumab, ranibizumab, ustekinumab and other biosimilars of interest.

Patient Group Directions and legal mechanisms

All our resources on Patient Group Directions (PGDs) and other legal mechanisms for the supply or administration of medicines.

Procurement

All our resources for NHS secondary care pharmacy procurement services

Events

Managing outstanding medicines orders: from reactive to proactive

Guidance for managing outstanding orders in NHS pharmacy procurement teams to improve medicines availability and reduce financial impact of supply disruptions.

Dealing with temperature excursions

An SPS Quality Assurance (QA) bite-size learning event exploring the principles of managing temperature excursions involving medicines.

SPS is going to the Pharmacy Show

SPS are presenting and will have a stand at the Pharmacy Show on 11-12 October 2026

SMRs in problematic polypharmacy: palliative care focus

Expert pharmacists will use a case study to illustrate a patient centred approach to SMRs for patients with a progressive, life-limiting illness.

Governance of aseptic preparation services and themes from audit

An SPS Quality Assurance (QA) bite size learning event on the importance of governance in pharmacy aseptic services.

Next events

Our forthcoming conferences and webinars covering a range of Medicines Optimisation issues with SPS and other great speakers and presenters.

Primary care

Our primary care resources and tools are for all those working in the area, including GPs, practice pharmacists and community pharmacy teams.

Ask for help

If you're a healthcare professional who needs further advice, get in touch with us. You can contact us through our single email or telephone number below. Please don't share patient identifiable data with us by email.

Swallowing difficulties

All our advice on using medicines safely and effectively in patients with swallowing difficulties.

Safety in breastfeeding

All our training and guidance to help decision making about the use of medicines in breastfeeding.

Safety in pregnancy

All our training and guidance to help decision making about the use of medicines in pregnancy.

Training and Development, Primary Care

Renal and urologic disorders

Complementary medicines

Reproductive health

Palliative and End of Life Care

Paediatrics

Poisoning

Tools

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.

Medicines Monitoring

Summarised recommendations and guidance for medicines requiring monitoring to save you time when you're making monitoring decisions with patients

Medicines in Compliance Aids Stability Tool

Information on stability for tablets and capsules to help create MCAs for patients. Find entries and then build and print lists specific to your MCA.

Refrigerated medicines stability tool

Advice on whether refrigerated medicines can or can’t be used after exposure to out-of-range temperatures. Find entries and build and print lists.

Stability Information for Aseptic Services

Information on drug stability to help users make an informed decision on the shelf life for products prepared within aseptic facilities.

Key Molecule Expenditure

View how your organisation is performing for a number of key molecules and compare your performance with others.