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Clinical Guidelines, Policies and Resources
Wound Care
Respiratory
- STW COPD Quick Reference Guide 2026
- Protocol for weaning COPD patients on ICS
- COPD treatment guidelines V2.4
- COPD-rescue-pack-guidance-v2 Feb 2022
- COPD-rescue-pack-patient-information-leaflet-v2 Feb 2022
- Asthma Management Plan Template
- MART Asthma Management Plan Template
- Asthma guidelines and supportive information
Pain Management
- Pain Diary: This diary is a tool to help you and your healthcare team see if your pain medicine is working well for you
- Opioid use and reduction in Primary Care for Non-Cancer Pain
- Gabapentinoid Prescribing in Chronic Pain Guidelines
- Guidelines for prescribing weight-adjusted ORAL paracetamol in adults
- Letter to patient - inviting for a review
- Opioid Resource support list for healthcare professionals managing adult patients with chronic pain
- The Good Relaxation Guide
- The Good Sleep Guide
- Stopping your medicine: opioids for long-term pain
- Understanding opioids and how to reduce or stop taking them
Information, Guidance Documents, Resources, Policies and Position Statements
Resources to support the Medicines Quality and Commissioning Framework (MQCF)
- Medicines Quality & Commissioning Framework (MQCF) 2026/27 Year 2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for GP Practices
- STW ICS Safety pen needles and safety lancet devices - Commissioning Statement
- NHSE resource on Low Clinical Value Medicines
- STW ICB SGLT-2i Switch Guidance
- STW Protocol for switching to Apixaban for existing patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) on Edoxaban
- STW Protocol for switching to Rivaroxaban for existing patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) on Edoxaban
Guidance and Pathways
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- Lipid Management for Primary and Secondary Prevention of CVD
- Medicines Safety Alert Process V2
- Prescribing Information for dapaglifozin for treating chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
- Prescribing Information for Patiromer for Treatment of Chronic Hyperkalaemia in Adults
- Prescribing Information for sacubitril valsartan for treating symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
- Prescribing Information for sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (Lokelma) for treating hyperkalaemia in adults
- STW ICS treatment of overactive bladder symptoms and urgency urinary incontinence in women in Primary Care
- Clostridium Difficile/PPI pathway.
- Policies
- Medicines and Pharmacy Strategy 2023 Final
- Commercial Sponsorship and Joint Working with the Pharmaceutical Industry Policy V2 (002)
- Drugs used on Primary Care for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED)
- STW ICS Safety pen needles and safety lancet devices - Commissioning Statement
- Individual Funding Request Policy (IFR)
- Funding for Experimental and Unproven Treatments
- On-going access to treatment following a trial of treatment which has not been sanctioned by NHS STW
- On-going access to treatment following the completion of a trial explicitly funded by NHS STW
- On-going access to treatment following the completion of industry sponsored clinical trials or funding.
- On-going access to treatment following the completion of non-commercially funded clinical trials
- Ethical framework for priority setting and resource allocation allocation
- NHSSTW Management of Patient Group Directions (PGDs) policy v1.0 final
- NHS ICB Shropshire Telford & Wrekin Liothyronine Policy is under review
- STW Gluten Free Statement
- Botulinum Toxin Policy
- Non-Medical Prescribing Policy - Oct 2027
- STW ICS Bath and Shower preparation - Commissioning Statement
- Information and Resources
Structured Medication Reviews
Immunisation and Vaccination
Patient Group Directions (PGDs)
End of Life (including JIC)
Palliative Care Just in Case (JIC) Service Guidance
End of Life Drug Administration Forms
- 20230829 JIC GP Information letter V2
- 20230829 Morphine Syringe Pump
- 20230829 Morphine PRN
- 20230829 Oxycodone Syringe Pump
- 20230829 Oxycodone PRN
- 20230829 Syringe Pump Blank form
- 20230829 PRN Blank form
Symptom Control Sheets for End of Life
Just In Case (JIC) Medication Pack
Prescribing
Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) was introduced in July 2009 as a non-compulsory method of dispensing prescriptions electronically.
From April 2019, as stated in the GP contract, eRD became a contractual obligation for all patients where it is clinically appropriate and the patient consents.
- eRD means patients who regularly get the same medication and don’t need to contact their GP practice every time they need a repeat prescription. This provides greater efficiency for practices and patients whilst enabling the pharmacy to manage the patient’s clinical care.
- Once a patient has been identified as suitable for eRD, the prescriber will review and synchronise all of their current medication. The prescriber will create a batch of prescriptions for a set length of time which is then digitally signed using their smartcard pin.
- All issues within the batch are sent immediately to the Spine. All prescriptions are linked by the same barcode, but they are all separate issues. The duration between each issue is set in the clinical system and is dispensed at those intervals by the nominated pharmacy.
- Good communication between all parties is essential.
Please see below for a number of resources, which will enable practices to take advantage of the benefits eRD may offer.
Useful resources
NHS Digital:
- NHS England
- Wessex Handbook (this is where you will find a video on how to set eRD up on EMIS)
- NHSBSA links
- The Centre for Postgraduate Pharmacy Education (CPPE) also produces an Open Learning Pack on Repeat Dispensing
Oral Nutrition Supplements (ONS)
- Prescribing Guidelines and Formulary
- Prescribing Guidelines for Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) in Adults V4
- Primary Care Prescribing Guidelines - Quick Reference V3
- Think Food Approach in Care Homes - Treatment of Malnutrition
Dressings
Over the Counter (OTC) Medicines/Drugs of Limited Clinical Value (DOLCV)
- Guidance for prescribing OTC medicines for children attending nurseries and schools
- Guidance for the Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency and Insufficiency
- 20220826 NHS STW Dry eye Guidance Primary Care
- Guidance on Folic Acid Dosing
- Please click here for items which should not routinely be prescribed in Primary Care.
Diabetes
Care Settings
- Reducing Medicines Waste in Care Settings V2
- Position Statement Homely Remedies and Self Care March 2025
- Alteration of a Medicine Formulation in a Care Setting
- Aspirin use for Heart Emergencies in Care Settings V2
- Influenza Outbreak Care Homes NHS STW
- Guidance Non-prescribed Medicines in Community Settings V3.1
- 7 Day Prescribing Statement
- Referral Pathway NHS STW ICB - Care Homes December 2023 - V1
- Covert Administration of Medicines Checklist (Care Settings)
- Sterile Dressing Pack Prescribing - Position Statement
- Prescribing Guidelines for Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) in Adults V4
- Good Practice Guidence - Administration of Topical Preparations in Care Settings
- Oral Nutrional Supplement Primary Care Prescribing Guidelines - Quick Reference V3
- Think Food Approach in Care Homes. A practical guide for community pharmacy patients
- Think Food Approach in Care Homes - Treatment of Malnutrition
- Good Practice Guide for Medicines Ordering in Care Homes
Care Settings Newsletters
Influenza
Antimicrobials
- Back-up Antibiotics Leaflet (Children)
- EASY READ Back-up Antibiotics: What you need to know (Children)
- Back-up Antibiotics Leaflet (Adults)
- EASY READ Back-up Antibiotics: What you need to know (Adults)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Handbook for Primary Care Network (PCN) Pharmacy Technicians
- Community Antibiotic Guidelines
- TARGET leaflets on accuRx
Continence
Community Pharmacy
- Pharmacy First Toolkit - This toolkit is aimed at those who are involved with the implementation of the pharmacy first service within the Shropshire Telford and Wrekin ICS
