Mental health nursing review to include prescribing

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) has announced a review of mental health nursing that will include non-medical prescribing. The review, announced on 8 February, will provide mental health nurses with a “new direction and clear future role in order to deliver government reforms”, according to CNO Chris Beasley.

It will consider how mental health nurses can contribute to priorities such as: delivering race equality; health promotion; child protection; and developing non-medical prescribing. It will report by the end of the year and will be co-ordinated by Dr Neil Brimblecombe, Director of Mental Health Nursing, National Institute of Mental Health in England (NIMHE).
 

CSM considered additions to NPEF

The Committee on Safety of Medicines considered outstanding issues amongst the proposed additions for the Nurse Prescribers’ Extended Formulary (NPEF) at a meeting in November (download minutes here; accessed 9/2).

In particular, it did not endorse the inclusion of erythromycin for acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (but suggested possible alternatives), but agreed with several other proposals. It also agreed to request a review from the Department of Health of how successful the checks and balances have been in the extension of nurse prescribing.
 

CSM agrees to widening of optometrists’ drug exemptions

The Committee on Safety of Medicines has agreed to many of the proposed changes to the list of exemptions of medicines that can be sold, supplied or administered by optometrists (see here for minutes of meeting; accessed 9/2). There will be two levels: Exemption Level 1 drugs, which will not require post-registration training and Exemption Level 2 drugs, for which further postgraduate training will be required. It also removed the restriction that P or GSL medicines can only be sold or supplied in an emergency; optometrists will now be able to sell or supply all GSL and P medicines provided the action is in the course of their professional practice.

See also Association of Optometrists (accessed 9/2) and Prescribing roles for optometrists.

NPC publishes non-medical prescribing guide for doctors

The National Prescribing Centre (NPC) has published a guide for to help doctors prepare for and carry out the role of designated medical practitioner in supervising and assessing non-medical prescribers (download here; accessed 22/2). It explains recent developments in non-medical prescribing and the training that new prescribers undergo, and then looks at the role of designated medical practitioner.
 

NPC conference non-medical prescribing conference in May

The National Prescribing Centre (NPC) is organizing a on-day conference on 26 May in Manchester for non-medical prescribers (see here for details; accessed 22/2). It is free for the NHS.

Conference announcement: Primary Care 2005

Primary Care 2005 will be held on 5-6 May in Birmingham and will include some sessions on non-medical prescribing. See here for the programme.


 

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