Greater Glasgow and Clyde Medicines

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• Patients admitted to hospital who take warfarin (or any other coumarin anticoagulant), should be considered for a switch to a suitable direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC). This recommendation is based on the reduced bleeding risk with DOACs when compared with warfarin and improved patient acceptability given the lack of need for ongoing monitoring in hospital and community-based clinics.
• The Appropriate and Safe Conversion from Warfarin to a DOAC guideline available in the GGC Adult Therapeutics Handbook includes full detail, such as situations when patients should not be switched, recommended choice of DOAC and how to switch patients.

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• A new regional West of Scotland formulary is being developed, which will replace the NHSGGC formulary over time.
• The latest edition of the regular Formulary Focus newsletter has been issued to help keep staff in participating Health Boards up-to-date with project progress.
• Excellent progress has been made so far, with the review of four chapters currently underway (Cardiovascular, Gastro-Intestinal, Respiratory and Skin).
• Nominations are being sought from NHSGGC staff who are interested in membership of the new West of Scotland Formulary Committee.

This post summarises the latest NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde decisions relating to new medicines assessed by SMC and considered by the Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee (ADTC) and uses a nationally developed format specifically aimed for patients and the public.

For full details of the medicines included in this post that are available for use, including any restrictions on prescribing, please see the relevant entry in the GGC Formulary.

Click here to access the full blog

Click here to access the full blog

Click here to access the full blog

In May this year, NHSGGC undertook a comprehensive public survey to understand how people feel about their medicines and about deprescribing. Over 1000 responses were received, giving invaluable insights into how patients feel about their currently prescribed medicines and their willingness to consider reducing or stopping them.

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Click here to access the full blog

• A new NHSGGC guideline has been published on the Right Decision Platform: Management plan for patients on warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the peri-operative period.
• The new NHSGGC guideline includes:
• Updated recommendations on thrombosis risk categories for elective procedures.
• A clear presentation of different DOACs and the time frame between the last dose and high bleeding risk procedures.
• Updated recommendations on low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) dose in the peri-operative period.
• Updated CHADS-VA score in line with new recommendations from the European Society of Cardiology.

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• Over the next 18 months, a new Regional West of Scotland Formulary is being created which will replace the NHSGGC formulary over time
• A regular newsletter will be issued to keep staff in participating health boards up-to-date with project progress
• Nominations are being sought from health care professionals who consider themselves to be experts in particular therapeutic areas to be part of each chapter expert working group for both the paediatric and adult formularies, please complete this form to nominate yourself.