Recommendations
This section contains a list of the policy recommendations of the Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee.
Reviews of the new medicines have been conducted by our pharmacists using a number of resources including National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) which is a Special health Authority (SHA) set up in 1999. It is used to give advice to the NHS on best clinical practice including the clinical and cost effectiveness of drugs and other treatments.
Definitions and criteria for the categorisation of medicines
Legacy Merseyside
New Cheshire and Merseyside
Transition of Commissioning Policies
On 1st July 2022 NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) became the new statutory body responsible for ensuring health care services are available to meet the reasonable needs of the people of Cheshire & Merseyside.
Until such time as a single suite of commissioning policies can be developed and adopted, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside will continue to adopt and operate the CCG policies it has inherited at Place/borough level, which means that there will be no immediate change in commissioning policy for local people resident in those Places/boroughs from what was in place prior to 1st July 2022.
Documents
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends Botulinum Toxin Type A injection by specialists for the treatment of achalasia, non-specific gastric motility disorder and functional or post-operative gastroparesis in adults.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends prescribing a maximum of TWO COURSES of botulinum toxin type A injection in the treatment of chronic anal fissure which has not healed despite a minimum course of at least 8 weeks of topical management.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of BUDESONIDE orodispersible tablets (Jorveza®▼), by specialists only, as a treatment option for inducing remission eosinophilic oesophagitis in adults (older than 18 years of age) in accordance with NICE TA708.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of COLESEVELAM HYDROCHLORIDE (Cholestagel®), following specialist initiation, for adult patients with bile acid malabsorption-associated diarrhoea who do not tolerate, or fail to respond to, 1st line treatments.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of ELUXADOLINE Tablets (Truberzi®▼) following specialist initiation for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea in adults in accordance with NICE TA471.
Red NHS West Lancashire CCG
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of FILGOTINIB tablets (Jyseleca®▼), by specialists only, for treating moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in accordance with NICE TA792.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside APPROVED
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of Mesalazine oral formulations by brand name following specialist initiation for inflammatory bowel disease. Octasa® brand is considered to be equivalent to Asacol® brand and currently represents a more cost effective choice.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of NALOXEGOL Tablets (Moventig®▼) as an option for treating opioid induced constipation in adults in accordance with NICE TA345 (22nd July 2015).
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends the prescribing of OZANIMOD capsules (Zeposia®▼), by specialists only, for ulcerative colitis, in accordance with NICE TA828.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside APPROVED
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee does not recommend the prescribing of PREDNISOLONE ENTERIC COATED 2.5 mg and 5 mg tablets.
The Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee recommends RIFAXIMIN 550mg tablets (Targaxan®), following specialist initiation, as an option for reducing the recurrence of overt hepatic encephalopathy in people aged 18 years or older in accordance with NICE TA 337.
The Cheshire and Merseyside Area Prescribing Group recommends the prescribing of RISANKIZUMAB (Skyrizi®▼), by specialists only, for previously treated moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in accordance with NICE TA888.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside APPROVED
The Cheshire and Merseyside Area Prescribing Group recommends the prescribing of UPADACITINIB prolonged-release tablets (RINVOQ®▼), by specialists only, for previously treated moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease in accordance with NICE TA905.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside APPROVED
The Cheshire and Merseyside Interim Area Prescribing Group recommends the prescribing of UPADACITINIB prolonged-release tablets (RINVOQ®▼), by specialists only, for treating moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in adults in accordance with NICE TA856.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside APPROVED