Background
This is an updated list of the minimum information resources that NHS hospital on-call pharmacists working in the East of England should be able to access. This is based on a consensus amongst East Anglia medicines information (MI) services and other research undertaken by the East Anglia Medicines Information network in 2009 - 20101. This document is also supported by Chief Pharmacists in the East of England.
Aim
The aim of this document is to ensure that NHS hospital on-call pharmacists in the East of England have access to the same information resources when handling MI enquiries outside of normal working hours.
The resources are organised into general subject categories and where possible, include access to electronic versions of the resources. These will often be available via your MI service. The categories are:
· General
· Drug Administration
· Drug Availability
· Drug Interactions
· Drugs in Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
· Drugs in Renal Disease
· Infectious Diseases
· Mental Health
· Palliative Care
· Pharmaceutical
Access to Enquiry Answering Database (e.g. MiDatabank)
There may be previous enquiries dealing with the same question which may save the on-call pharmacist time. It is important there are local policies for ensuring access to and guidance for using previous enquiries.
Documentation
It is essential that MI provided out-of-hours is documented, the format of which should be determined locally. This data should be reviewed on a regular basis with input from your MI service to identify ways of pro-actively providing information in order to reduce the need to contact the on-call pharmacist for advice.
Costs
The price of these resources can be obtained from the hospital’s MI service. However, many of these resources should be available already from your hospital’s MI service.
Updating the List
This list will be updated on an ongoing basis by the East Anglia Medicines Information service. When changes have been made, an updated list will be circulated to all MI services for local use.
The latest editions of the resources listed in this document can be found within the UKMi Essential Resource Lists at http://www.ukmi.nhs.uk/activities/clinicalGovernance/default.asp?pageRef=4
Suggestions for additions/deletions or how this document can be made more user friendly can be forwarded to
References
1. Cheeseman M. "The East Anglia Medicines Information Out of Hours Project - Resultsfrom apilotstudy" (poster). Presented at the 35th UKMi Practice Development Seminar, Edinburgh; September 2009.
General
Title / Author / Edition / Username & Password / Comment
British National Formulary / BMA and RPSGB (twice yearly) / Current / Online (via Medicines Complete) is preferred as the electronic BNF has been updated monthly from October 2012 (Need Athens username/ password outside of NHS). The paper version will only be published every 12 mths.
BNF for Children / BMA, RPSGB, RCPCH & NPPG (annual) / Current / Online (via Medicines Complete) is preferred as the electronic BNFc has been updated monthly from October 2012 (Need Athens username/ password outside of NHS).
electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) / DataPharm Communications / N/A / http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/
Martindale, the Complete Drug Reference / Sweetman, S
Pharmaceutical Press / Current / Online version (via Medicines Complete) is available and is preferable as it is updated earlier.
Medicines Q&As / UKMi / N/A / http://www.ukmi.nhs.uk/activities/medicinesQAs/default.asp
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Treatment / Berkow, R et al
Merck and Co. / Current / http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/index.html
Local Trust Policies / Local organisation (s) / Current / Related to the use of medication in your organisation.
Drug Administration
Handbook of Drug Administration via Enteral Feeding Tubes / White R & Bradnam V
Pharmaceutical Press / Current / It is recommended that at least one of these resources should be accessible to the on-call pharmacist.
Also available via www.medicinescomplete.com
Electronic access via www.newtguidelines.com (preferred as updated between paper editions).
The NEWT Guidelines for Administration of Medicines to patients with Enteral Feeding Tubes or Swallowing Difficulties / Smyth JA
North East Wales NHS Trust / Current
Handbook on Injectable Drugs / Trissel, LA
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists / Current / Available via www.medicinescomplete.com
Drug Administration (continued)
Title / Author / Edition / Username & Password / Comment
Intravenous Drug Administration Guides / Local organisation / N/A / It is recommended that at least one of these resources should be accessible to the on-call pharmacist.
http://medusa.wales.nhs.uk or http://www.injguide.nhs.uk.
NB. Available free to contributing Trusts & all Trusts in Wales & N Ireland. If not able to contribute, an annual subscription to access the database can be paid.
National Injectable Medicines Guide (Medusa) / Various / N/A
Drug Availability
RUM Database / London, Eastern & South East Specialist Pharmacy Services / N/A / http://www.medicinesresources.nhs.uk/en/Communities/NHS/SPS-E-and-SE-England/Medicines-Information/Discontinuation-Supply-Shortage-Memos/Rarely-Used-Medicines-RUM-List/?query=rarely+used+medicines&rank=100
Contact details for wholesalers out of hours and hospital pharmacies in region / - / N/A / See pharmacy procurement for details.
Drug Interactions
Stockley’s Drug Interactions / Baxter K (ed)
Pharmaceutical Press / Current / Available online via www.medicinescomplete.com and is preferable as it is updated earlier.
Drugs in Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
Title / Author / Edition / Username & Password / Comment
Medicines Q&As / UKMi / N/A / http://www.ukmi.nhs.uk/activities/medicinesQAs/default.asp
Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation / Briggs, G et al
Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins / Current / Book and updates are available online.
UKMi Drugs in Lactation Database / UKMi / Current / http://www.midlandsmedicines.nhs.uk/content.asp?section=6&subsection=17&pageIdx=1
LactMed / US National Library of Medicine / N/A / http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT.
TOXBASE / BUMPS
(Best use of medicines in pregnancy) / National Teratology Information Service / Current / http://www.toxbase.org/
Pregnancy information for health care professionals, registration required.
http://medicinesinpregnancy.org Information for patients
Drugs in Renal Disease
The Renal Drug Database and Handbook / Radcliffe Medical Press / Current / http://www.renaldrugdatabase.com/
Infectious Diseases
Local Antimicrobial Policies / Local organisation(s) / Current
‘The Green Book’
Immunisation Against Infectious Disease / DoH / Current / https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england/series/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book
Do not use the paper version.
Public Health England / Public Health England / N/A / https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england
The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy / Gilbert et al.
Antimicrobial Therapy, Inc / Current / It is recommended that at least one of these resources should be accessible to the on-call pharmacist.
The digital editions are updated regularly http://www.sanfordguide.com
Johns Hopkins ABX Guide / Unbound Medicine, Inc. / Current
Mental Health
Title / Author / Edition / Username & Password / Comment
Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines / Taylor, D et al
Informa UK Ltd / Current / It is recommended that at least one of these resources should be accessible to the on-call pharmacist.
The 10th edition of Maudsley (not current version) can be accessed online via www.library.nhs.uk
Psychotropic Drug Directory / Bazire, S
Healthcomm UK Ltd / Current
Palliative Care
Palliative Care Matters / Dr Ian Back, MA(Cantab) MRCGP FRCP, Consultant Physician in Palliative Medicine / N/A / It is recommended that at least one of these resources should be accessible to the on-call pharmacist.
Syringe Driver compatibility database via http://www.pallcare.info/
www.palliativedrugs.com Includes access to Palliative Care Formulary. Registration required.
Online version is updated more frequently than the book.
Palliativedrugs.com / Robert Twycross & Andrew Wilcock / Current
The Syringe Driver: Continuous Subcutaneous Infusions in Palliative Care / Dickman, A et al
Oxford University Press / Current
Pharmaceutical
The Fridge Database / UKMi / Current / http://www.ukmi.nhs.uk/applications/fridge/
See MI centre for username and password.
Drug stability in Compliance Aids Database / UKMi / Current / http://www.ukmi.nhs.uk/applications/mca/
Katie Smith on behalf of the East Anglia Medicines Information network
Version 2.4
Updated: November 2014, Review: November 2015