Recommendations
This section contains a list of the policy recommendations of the Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee.
Reviews of the new medicines have been conducted by our pharmacists using a number of resources including National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) which is a Special health Authority (SHA) set up in 1999. It is used to give advice to the NHS on best clinical practice including the clinical and cost effectiveness of drugs and other treatments.
Definitions and Criteria for Categorisation of Medicines
Coronavirus guidance
Guidance to support primary care prescribers and pharmacists is available from the MLCSU Coronavirus guidance resource page. Links are provided to national resources and regional documents produced by MLCSU, RDTC, and SPS for use by Pan Mersey APC, LSCMMG, and GMMMG.
The list of resources will be updated as new material becomes available so please check back regularly for updates.
The Pan Mersey APC supports the use of COVID-specific guidance issued by NICE, and NHS England and NHS Improvement. During the COVID pandemic this will supersede any APC advice.
Documents
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of BRIVARACETAM tablets/oral solution (Briviact®▼) for adjunctive treatment of focal seizures following initiation by a consultant neurologist.
AMBER patient retained by specialist NHS Wirral CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of CARIPRAZINE hard capsules (Reagila®▼), following specialist initiation, as a non-first line treatment option for adult patients with predominant negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of melatonin prolonged release tablets (Circadin® and Slenyto®) for the treatment of persistent chronic sleep disorders in the circumstances where sleep hygiene measures have been insufficient.
Management of sleep disorders in children and adults - flowchart
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of methadone tablets (Physeptone®) in adults following initiation by a consultant in pain medicine in a tertiary centre.
Red NHS Halton CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of NALMEFENE (Selincro®) within its marketing authorisation, as an option for reducing alcohol consumption in adults with alcohol dependence, in line with NICE TA325.
Refer to Pan Mersey formulary for RAG status for each individual CCG.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of OPICAPONE (Ongentys®▼) following specialist recommendation as add-on therapy in adult patients with Parkinson’s disease.
BLACK NHS West Lancashire CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of PITOLISANT tablets (Wakix®▼), by specialists working in a regional and national tertiary commissioned sleep service only, for the treatment of Narcolepsy with or without cataplexy in those who are contraindicated or have not tolerated other standard treatments.
Black NHS West Lancashire CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends that IMMEDIATE RELEASE QUETIAPINE is the preferred formulation of quetiapine for prescribing across the Pan Mersey Area.
AMBER RETAINED NHS Southport and Formby, NHS South Sefton CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of SAFINAMIDE (Xadago®▼) following specialist recommendation in the management of mid to late stage Parkinson’s disease.
BLACK NHS West Lancashire CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends SODIUM OXYBATE oral solution (Xyrem®) as a treatment option for Narcolepsy with cataplexy in adult patients only when recommended by a consultant in a specialist commissioned sleep service.
Black NHS West Lancashire CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of TAPENTADOL prolonged release tablets (Palexia® SR) for severe chronic pain in adults only when initiated by chronic pain specialists or palliative care specialists