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 the categorisation of medicines
Legacy Merseyside
New Cheshire and Merseyside
Transition of Commissioning Policies
On 1st July 2022 NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) became the new statutory body responsible for ensuring health care services are available to meet the reasonable needs of the people of Cheshire & Merseyside.
Until such time as a single suite of commissioning policies can be developed and adopted, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside will continue to adopt and operate the CCG policies it has inherited at Place/borough level, which means that there will be no immediate change in commissioning policy for local people resident in those Places/boroughs from what was in place prior to 1st July 2022.
Documents
The Cheshire and Merseyside Area Prescribing Group recommends the prescribing of BARICITINIB tablets (Olumiant®), by specialists only, for patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 (adults and children aged 2 years and over).
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside APPROVED
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of BEMPEDOIC ACID tablets (Nilemdo®▼) and BEMPEDOIC ACID-EZETIMIBE tablets (Nustendi®▼) for primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia in accordance with NICE TA694.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of BIMEKIZUMAB solution for injection (Bimzelx®▼), by specialists only, for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in accordance with NICE TA723.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of ORAL BISPHOSPHONATES (alendronic acid, ibandronic acid and risedronate sodium) for treating osteoporosis in accordance with NICE TA464.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside PENDING APPROVAL
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends no more than TWO TREATMENT SESSIONS per YEAR of Botulinum Toxin Type A Injection (Botox®) by specialists for the treatment of severe axillary hyperhidrosis that has not responded to treatment with topical antiperspirants or other antihidrotic treatment, as a potential alternative to surgery.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends Botulinum Toxin Type A injection by specialists for the treatment of achalasia, non-specific gastric motility disorder and functional or post-operative gastroparesis in adults.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends prescribing a maximum of TWO COURSES of botulinum toxin type A injection in the treatment of chronic anal fissure which has not healed despite a minimum course of at least 8 weeks of topical management.
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 Cheshire and Merseyside Area Prescribing Group recommends the prescribing of budesonide orodispersible tablets (Jorveza®), with specialist initiation, for induction and maintenance of remission in eosinophilic oesophagitis in adults.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside APPROVED