NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

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'.

  1. 31 March: Parkinson’s and swallowing difficulties, antidepressants in epilepsy, & gowning

    5D AGO

    31 March: Parkinson’s and swallowing difficulties, antidepressants in epilepsy, & gowning

    Gary Hodgson, Medicines Advice Pharmacist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 21st and 27th March. 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:    Parkinson’s disease medicines in swallowing difficulties Information on administration of Parkinson’s disease medicines, including crushing tablets, to reduce the risk of missed doses in swallowing difficulties. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/parkinsons-disease-medicines-in-swallowing-difficulties/ Amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 Sodium content in medicines can be a concern, especially for those on salt-restricted diets. Awareness is important for safe prescribing and patient management https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/assessing-the-clinical-impact-of-sodium-content-in-medicines/ Supporting lithium safety across the system Healthcare professionals (HCP) in all settings who interact with patients prescribed lithium should be aware of safety considerations related to its use. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/supporting-lithium-safety-across-the-system/ Choosing an antidepressant for people with epilepsy Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the preferred antidepressant in people with epilepsy. We give considerations when selecting antidepressants. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-antidepressants-for-treating-depression-in-people-with-epilepsy/ Contact details Get in touch with one of our teams to ask a question or raise an issue. Different teams can help you with different topics. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/about-sps/get-in-touch/ Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences           https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/          Join our new 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'.

    4 min
  2. 24 March: Dental controlled drugs, impact of sodium content in medicines, & upcoming events

    MAR 24

    24 March: Dental controlled drugs, impact of sodium content in medicines, & upcoming events

    Gary Hodgson, Medicines Advice Pharmacist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 14th and 20th March. 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:    Managing controlled drugs for dental teams This series of articles covers prescribing, governance, storage and record keeping, stock management and disposal of controlled drugs for dental teams. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/managing-controlled-drugs-for-dental-teams/ Assessing the clinical impact of sodium content in medicines Sodium content in medicines can be a concern, especially for those on salt-restricted diets. Awareness is important for safe prescribing and patient management https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/assessing-the-clinical-impact-of-sodium-content-in-medicines/ Contact details Get in touch with one of our teams to ask a question or raise an issue. Different teams can help you with different topics. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/about-sps/get-in-touch/ Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences           https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/          Join our new 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'.

    5 min
  3. Effectively embedding medication safety into PSIRF: what to expect from this webinar

    FEB 11

    Effectively embedding medication safety into PSIRF: what to expect from this webinar

    Emma Kirk and Anna Bischler talk about what you can expect from attending the upcoming webinar ‘Embedding medication safety in the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)’. The webinar will be held on Wednesday 25 March from 12.30-2pm. Emma Kirk, Medication Safety Officer Network Lead, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service Anna Bischler, Associate Director – Medication Safety, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service Register for the webinar here: https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/effectively-embedding-medication-safety-into-psirf/

    7 min
  4. Liver Transplant

    12/15/2025

    Liver Transplant

    Kieran Reynolds talks to Fatema Jessa about liver transplant. Discussion includes what liver transplant is, why it is performed, how patients are managed post liver-transplant and the role of pharmacy professionals (both secondary and primary care) in managing these patients. Fatema Jessa - Consultant Pharmacist – Hepatology and Liver Transplant and NCL Digital Pharmacy Network at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Kieran Reynolds - Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (Medicines Governance), SPS Useful links: The British Liver Trust’s information on Liver transplant https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/organ-transplantation/liver/living-with-a-liver-transplant/liver-transplant-medicines/%22HYPERLINK%20%22https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-transplant/ The British Liver Trust’s information on life after liver transplant https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-transplant/life-after-liver-transplant/%22%20/l%20%22Immunosuppression%20medicines The NHS Blood and Transplant’s information on liver transplantation medicines https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/organ-transplantation/liver/living-with-a-liver-transplant/liver-transplant-medicines/ SPS Drug monitoring tool https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/tools/drug-monitoring/ The Pharmaceutical Journal (PJ) article on medicines management in adult patients undergoing liver transplantation https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/ld/medicines-management-in-adult-patients-undergoing-liver-transplantation The Green Book: information on vaccines for vaccine preventable diseases  https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book#the-green-book NHS Business Services Authority information on NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc

    22 min
  5. Alcohol related liver disease (ARLD)

    12/15/2025

    Alcohol related liver disease (ARLD)

    Kieran Reynolds talks to Leslie Wong, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist in Hepatology in the Eastern Liver Network and Communications Officer at the British Hepatology Pharmacy Group (BHPG) about alcohol related liver disease (ARLD). Discussion includes what ARLD is, screening tools to help identify possible alcohol misuse, treatment of ARLD; including medicines used in medically assisted alcohol withdrawal and medicines used to help support abstinence, as well as long term vitamin supplementation. Leslie Wong - Advanced Clinical Pharmacist in Hepatology in the Eastern Liver Network and Communications Officer at the BHPG Kieran Reynolds - Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (Medicines Governance), SPS Useful links: The British Liver Trust’s information on alcohol and liver disease https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/risks-and-causes/alcohol/#:~:text=Regularly%20drinking%20over%20the%20recommended%20limit%20increases%20the,their%20health.%20Alcohol%20is%20broken-down%20by%20the%20liver. The British Liver Trust’s information on alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/alcohol-related-liver-disease/ MD+CALC AUDIT-C calculator https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/2021/audit-c-alcohol-use Drinkaware’s Drinking Check https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tools/drinking-check/#/overview DrinkAware information on Cutting your drinking with alcohol-free or low alcohol drinks https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice-and-support/alcohol-free-drinks/cutting-your-drinking-with-alcohol-free-or-low-alcohol-drinks/ SPS article on using and prescribing thiamine in alcohol dependence https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-and-prescribing-thiamine-in-alcohol-dependence/ Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee (RMOC) position statement on oral vitamin B supplementation in alcoholism (PDF) https://www.wyicsapc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/RMOC-Position-Statement-Oral-Vitamin-B-supplementation-in-alcoholism-November-2019.pdf NICE Clinical Guideline 115 on Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG115 UKHSA Alcohol structured advice tool https://khub.net/web/phe-national/public-library/-/document_library/v2WsRK3ZlEig/view_file/377334553?_com_liferay_document_library_web_portlet_DLPortlet_INSTANCE_v2WsRK3ZlEig_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fkhub.net%3A443%2Fweb%2Fphe-national%2Fpublic-library%2F-%2Fdocument_library%2Fv2WsRK3ZlEig%2Fview%2F261816192%3F_com_liferay_document_library_web_portlet_DLPortlet_INSTANCE_v2WsRK3ZlEig_redirect%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fkhub.net%253A443%252Fweb%252Fphe-national%252Fpublic-library%252F-%252Fdocument_library%252Fv2WsRK3ZlEig%252Fview%252F174103489 e-learning for healthcare Alcohol Identification and Brief Advice programme https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/alcohol/

    30 min
  6. Hepatitis C

    12/15/2025

    Hepatitis C

    Kieran Reynolds talks to Helen Boothman, Lead Hepatology Pharmacist and past chair of the British Hepatology Pharmacy Group (BHPG) about hepatitis C. Discussion includes what hepatitis C (hep C) is, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment and the efforts ongoing to help find undiagnosed patients. Helen Boothman - Lead Hepatology Pharmacist, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London and previous char of the BHPG Kieran Reynolds - Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (Medicines Governance), SPS Useful links: The British Liver Trust’s information on hepatitis C https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/hepatitis-c/ NHS information on free home testing for hepatitis C https://hepctest.nhs.uk/

    19 min
  7. Hepatitis B

    12/15/2025

    Hepatitis B

    Kieran Reynolds talks to Helen Boothman, Lead Hepatology Pharmacist and past chair of the British Hepatology Pharmacy Group (BHPG) about hepatitis B. Discussion includes what hepatitis B (hep B) is, incidence, link with hepatitis D, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. Helen Boothman - Lead Hepatology Pharmacist, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London and previous char of the BHPG Kieran Reynolds - Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (Medicines Governance), SPS Useful links: The British Liver Trust’s information on how hepatitis B is passed on and who is risk https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/hepatitis-b/risk/ The British Liver Trust’s information on how to test for hepatitis B https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/hepatitis-b/hepatitis-b-tests/ NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries information on which tests can help make a diagnosis of hepatitis B https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hepatitis-b/diagnosis/how-to-test-for-hepatitis-b/ The British Liver Trust’s information on treatment for hepatitis B https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/hepatitis-b/treatment/ The Hepatitis B Foundation information on patient support groups https://www.hepb.org/resources-and-support/online-support-groups/ The British Liver Trust’s information on patient support https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/support-for-you/ Information on Hep B Companion - a peer led hepatitis B organisation https://www.hepbcompanion.org/

    19 min
  8. Polypharmacy 5 moments: Frailty: when less is more

    12/10/2025

    Polypharmacy 5 moments: Frailty: when less is more

    In our final episode, we explore frailty, a state of reduced resilience that makes people—particularly older adults—more vulnerable to adverse drug effects and prescribing cascades. Those living with frailty often have multiple long-term conditions, take polypharmacy, and benefit from a more personalised, “less is more” approach. (12m59s) We discuss what frailty looks like in everyday community pharmacy encounters, which medicines to look out for, and how to identify potentially inappropriate medicines prescribed. Through practical examples, we show how to ask the right questions, focus on what matters most to patients, and collaborate with general practice to reduce overprescribing through Structured medication review referrals. We highlight why, in frailty, taking fewer medicines can reduce harm and improve outcomes. Lelly Oboh, Consultant Pharmacist (Care of Older People) and Older People Lead (NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service) Rakhi Aggarwal, Primary Care Lead (NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service)

    13 min
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About

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'.

Information

  • Creator
    NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    95
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
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    NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

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