NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

Hannah Miller, Deputy Regional Quality Assurance Specialist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 4th and 10th July.  

To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter.   

Quick links to highlighted resources:    

Understanding why temperature management is important for medicines storage
Temperature control and monitoring of storage areas to avoid temperature excursions; ensuring medicines are fit for purpose at administration to patients.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/understanding-why-temperature-management-is-important-for-medicines-storage/

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.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/heatwaves-and-medicines-assessing-and-managing-patient-risk/

Implementing medicines frameworks
A checklist has been developed to support the NHS in implementing new frameworks for medicines.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/implementing-medicines-frameworks/

Developing direct oral anticoagulant safety across a system
Strategies and signposting to support safer use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/developing-direct-oral-anticoagulant-safety-across-a-system/

Medicines in dentistry: resources to support clinical decisions
Suggested resources to help dental teams and other healthcare professionals find information on medicines used in dentistry or which may impact dental treatment.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/medicines-in-dentistry-resources-to-support-clinical-decisions/

Using lipid lowering medicines while breastfeeding
Rosuvastatin, pravastatin and atorvastatin are preferred; simvastatin and ezetimibe can also be used. Recommendations apply to full term and healthy infants.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-lipid-lowering-medicines-during-breastfeeding/

Medication safety update – June
A resource collating the latest medication safety communications and publications to inform, support and inspire medication safety improvements.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/medication-safety-update/

New podcast – Sustaining Improvement: One Trust's Time Critical Medicines journey
In this podcast Jenna Murray talks to specialists from Leeds Teaching Hospitals about a time critical medicines quality improvement project which has been implemented and sustained so that it is now part of every day practice.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/improving-the-safe-use-of-time-critical-medicines/

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences           
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/          

Join our WhatsApp channel to stay up to date with our latest news and updates     
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBslvuJpe8aH3n7Zu1i     

Podcast description:         
NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service serves healthcare professionals across the NHS who are involved in all aspects of buying, making and using medicines. Our motto is 'do once and share'.

John Oliver, a quality assurance specialist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 26th June and 3rd July.  

To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter.   

Quick links to highlighted resources:    

Insomnia: your questions answered podcast
In this podcast Emma Bryant from SPS, speaks with Dr Rania Ward, Principal Pharmacist for Sleep Medicine, who answers some of the questions posed in the chat during our recent webinar, SMRs in problematic polypharmacy: insomnia focus
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/smrs-in-problematic-polypharmacy-case-based-discussions/

Spotlight – June 2026
A digest of NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service support for professionals working in all areas of the healthcare system for June 2026.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/spotlight-june-2026/

Treating urinary disorders during breastfeeding
Oxybutynin is preferred for urinary disorders during breastfeeding. Recommendations apply to full term and healthy infants only.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/treating-urinary-disorders-during-breastfeeding/

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences           
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/          
 
Join our WhatsApp channel to stay up to date with our latest news and updates     
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBslvuJpe8aH3n7Zu1i     

Podcast description:         
NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service serves healthcare professionals across the NHS who are involved in all aspects of buying, making and using medicines. Our motto is 'do once and share'.

Jenna Murray talks to Ali Cracknell, Philippa Duggan-Carter and Jeremy Robson from Leeds University Hospital NHS trust in this podcast about a time critical medicines quality improvement project that has been successfully implemented and sustained, it is now part of everyday practice. Discussion includes the background to the project, how the team used what could have been a significant roadblock as catalyst for change and how the team knew that new practices had become business as usual.

Jenna Murray - Senior Specialist Pharmacy Technician Medication Safety (NHS SPS)
Ali Cracknell - Consultant in Acute and Elderly Medicine (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
Phillipa Duggan-Carter - Lead Nurse Parkinson's Disease Specialist (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
Jeremy Robson - Advanced Clinical Pharmacist for Neurology (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)

Gary Hodgson, Medicines Advice Pharmacist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 20th and 26th June.  
To easily find a list of newly published pages go to sps.nhs.uk, select ‘search’, click in the search bar, and press enter.   

Quick links to highlighted resources:    

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.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-with-confidence-podcast-series/

Share your feedback on this podcast series
We would really appreciate your views, whether you’ve listened to one or multiple episodes of our Prescribing with confidence podcast series.
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=VpftQ_9Bv0yVm0BqQIO3i22A1OMYp8xGqlAGgUanSedUNktDMUdNTlRTNDZaSk5DRUdMSEZaV1g0Mi4u&route=shorturl

SPS Screensavers
A collection of screensavers designed by SPS for healthcare professionals to save and use on workplace computers.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/screensavers/

Managing fire risk with emollients and other skin products
Emollient residue can increase the risk of fatal burns. This article outlines how fire risk occurs, which patients may be at increased risk, and harm reduction.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/managing-fire-risk-with-emollients-and-other-skin-products/

Prescribing and administering intravenous paracetamol safely
Guidance on safe prescribing and administration of IV paracetamol, including dosing, infusion, risk mitigation, and monitoring to prevent errors.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-intravenous-paracetamol-preparations-safely-in-paediatrics/

Influenza vaccine written instruction template for adoption
An IM influenza vaccination written instruction template is published annually for adoption by organisations providing flu vaccination to employees.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/influenza-vaccine-written-instruction-templates-for-adoption/

Minocycline monitoring
New sections have been added, including ‘requirements for treatment lasting longer than six months’, and considerations where minocycline may be ‘less suitable for prescribing’
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/monitorings/minocycline-monitoring/

Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences           
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/          

 Join our WhatsApp channel to stay up to date with our latest news and updates     
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBslvuJpe8aH3n7Zu1i     

Podcast description:         

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service serves healthcare professionals across the NHS who are involved in all aspects of buying, making and using medicines. Our motto is 'do once and share'.

In this podcast Emma Bryant (Mental Health Lead at NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service) speaks with Dr Rania Ward, Principal Pharmacist for Sleep Medicine, who answers some of the questions posed in the chat during our recent webinar, SMRs in problematic polypharmacy: insomnia focus (14 April 2026).

00.45 - Sleep cycle and shift patterns
03.23 - Cumulative sleep
04.45 - Red flags
10.22 - Treat the underlying cause or start hypnotics
12.34 - Pharmacological options
15.07 - Melatonin
20.11 - Serious mental illness (SMI) and insomnia
22.22 - New medicines for insomnia (daridorexant)
26.46 - Non-pharmacological treatments
31.12 - More information and training

Dr Rania Ward; Principal Pharmacist for Sleep Medicine, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Emma Bryant; Mental Health Lead, Medicines Use and Safety, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

Useful links

SMRs in problematic polypharmacy: case based discussions
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/smrs-in-problematic-polypharmacy-case-based-discussions/

National Sleep Pharmacy Network
https://nspn.co.uk/

RCGP Learning (Insomnia)
https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/info.php?id=824

PCPharm (Insomnia Learning Programme)
https://courses.learning.rpharms.com/product?catalog=RCP-Clinical-19