Improving Medicines Value

Medicines Optimisation looks at the value which medicines deliver, making sure they are clinically effective and cost-effective. It is about ensuring people get the right choice of medicines, at the right time, and are engaged in the process by their clinical team.

This webpage is aimed at health and care professionals working across all sectors in BSW to highlight any national or local resources to promote and support cost-effective prescribing practice.

Please contact the BSW Medicines Optimisation Team bswicb.prescribing@nhs.net if you would like more information or support, or to give feedback and suggestions on the content of this webpage.

National Cost-Effective Prescribing Resources

Guidance on Low Value Medicines and items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care

View the list of Items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care

In 2021/22 the cost of medicines prescribed and dispensed in primary care was £ 8.9 billion, with the number of prescriptions increasing, it is important that the NHS acts to achieve the greatest value from the money that it spends.

PrescQIPP has resources that have been developed to support the implementation of the NHS England low priority prescribing guidance, including bulletins, implementation resources and data
(NB- you will need to log into PrescQIPP to view these resources)

Guidance on conditions for which over the counter (OTCs) items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care.

A quick reference guide for healthcare professional summarises the guidance recommendations and lists the conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed: over-the-counter-quick-reference-guide.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
“Keep a well-stocked medicine cabinet”- patient information on self care
View the list of OTCs supporting materials including patient leaflets
Bulletin 320: Over the counter items | PrescQIPP C.I.C
View the frequently asked questions about OTC self-care for people living in care homes

BSW Cost-Effective Prescribing Resources

BSW ICB cost effective switches – Prescribe Well Spend Less (PWSL)

BSW ‘High Value’ Cost Savings Switches

Bulk switching guidance

ECLIPSE cost savings switches

OptimiseRx

OptimiseRx combines national guidance and the best available evidence with BSW locally authored formularies and policies. Prescribers benefit from more targeted and expertly authored bespoke medicine information messages and cost-effective interventions that support their prescribing decision. Reports on acceptance and rejection rates for each practice are reviewed regularly.

FDB Optimise Rx activation guides can be found here:

FDB Optimise Rx TPP SystmOne Activation guide

FDB Optimise Rx EMIS Activation guide

FDB Optimise Rx Adding an FDB button to toolbar

SystmOne TPP BSW formulary

This consists of a list of all green, amber and amber SC medications listed on the BSW Formulary. Its aim is to promote formulary compliance and cost-effective prescribing at the point of prescribing. It does not prevent any prescriber choosing any specific drug. However, it shows a ‘preferred’ list of drugs, with pre-set dose instructions, quantity and issue duration appropriate to that particular indication/prescription.

View instructions on using BSW Meds Optimisation Formulary in SystmOne

Updates and Benchmarking Data

The following communications highlight focus areas for cost-efficiencies:

MOP UP Newsletter
Quarterly Prescribing Reports - emailed to Practice managers, prescribing leads and Practice based Pharmacy professionals.
Bi-monthly locality meetings with practice HCP via MS TEAMs
Yearly Prescribing Locally Enhanced Service (LES)- historically referred to as Practice Incentive Scheme (PIS)
Yearly Prescribing review meeting with GP Practices – a review and discussion of each GP Practices Prescribing Data aiming to improve medicines outcomes and value.
Open Prescribing - Every month, Open Prescribing identifies the biggest cost saving opportunities for individual practices. You can sign up for monthly alerts highlighting where you are an outlier, or have suddenly changed.