Greater Glasgow and Clyde Medicines

Promoting HEPMA Stop Date Recording for Oral Nitrofurantoin and Trimethoprim in the treatment of lower Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) / Cystitis

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

Key Messages

• Scottish Government guidance suggests that people of all age groups should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms (400 International Units (IU)) daily particularly during the winter months (October to March)
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 3 (receiving less than 500ml of infant formula daily) can obtain free supplies of vitamin D via their community pharmacy as detailed HERE
• Those who are not eligible for free supplies of vitamin D can purchase a vitamin D supplement at pharmacies, supermarkets and online

All adult patients prescribed metolazone should receive the new licensed product Xaqua®

Errors involving insulin can cause serious harm to patients. A series of blogs have been published to help explain the key principles of safe insulin prescribing and administration during inpatient admission and at discharge.
The blogs cover medicines reconciliation, prescribing, administration and discharge.

Key points:

Increased risk of fracture, hypomagnesaemia and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) are significant adverse effects associated with PPI use that have been reported by the MHRA.

MHRA Drug Safety Update January 2023