Dav Manku, Associate Regional Pharmacy Procurement Specialist, at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 18th and 24th October.
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:
Considerations and Interactions with GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
Signposting key risks and interactions of GLP-1 receptor agonists in diabetes, obesity, and weight management.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/considerations-and-interactions-with-glp-1-receptor-agonists/
New Product Evaluations – log in required
A list of new product evaluations that are freely available to NHS staff.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/new-product-evaluations/
National PGD template updates
National PGD templates are developed with experts for clinical specialties. They reduce duplication and variation, and improve consistency of care.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/guidance/patient-group-directions-and-legal-mechanisms/national-pgd-templates/
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'.
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4:43
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4:43
21 October: Prescribing Outlook, Golimumab Biosimilar, & CPC North
Nicola Wake, Associate Director, Medicines Use and Safety at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between11th and 17th October.
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:
Prescribing Outlook
This is our annual output to support managed entry and budget planning for new medicines, new indications and patent expiries in the NHS.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Prescribing-Outlook-2025.xlsx#:~:text=Prescribing%20Outlook
Golimumab biosimilar
If you’re preparing to use golimumab biosimilar, we’ve added phase 2 and phase 3 checklists to our website.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Golimumab-Biosimilar-Patient-Information-Sheet-version-2-FINAL-1.docx#:~:text=golimumab%20biosimilar
PGD templates for trimethoprim and/or nitrofurantoin for UTI
Version 2 of the templates have been published. They are valid from January 2026, but we publish them a few months in advance so organisations can take them through local governance processes in a timely manner.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nitrofurantoin-PGD-template-UTI-V2.0-1.docx#:~:text=PGD%20templates%20for%20trimethoprim%20and/or%20nitrofurantoin%20for%20UTI
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Trimethoprim-PGD-template-UTI-V2.0-1.docx#:~:text=PGD%20templates%20for%20trimethoprim%20and/or%20nitrofurantoin%20for%20UTI
Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/
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'.
See Mun Wong, Digital and Quality Improvement Specialist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 4th and 10th October.
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:
New SPS WhatsApp channel
Follow us to stay up to date on via your phone
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBslvuJpe8aH3n7Zu1i
New SPS resources posters to download and print
A collection of posters designed by SPS for healthcare professionals to print and display in the workplace.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/posters/
Inducting pharmacy procurement staff
Complete our induction document to support all levels of new staff working within NHS hospital pharmacy procurement teams.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/inducting-pharmacy-procurement-staff/
New Medicines News
New Medicines News is produced by the SPS Horizon Scanning Service. It highlights recent new product launches and significant medicines regulatory changes.
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/new-medicines-news/
Medicines Advice contact page update
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/about-sps/get-in-touch/medicines-advice-contact-details/
Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/
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'.
Penny Daynes, Associate Regional Pharmacy Procurement specialist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 27th September and 3rd October.
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:
Vancomycin: informing intrathecal risk assessment
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/vancomycin-informing-intrathecal-risk-assessment/
Vancomycin products vary in their licensed status and other characteristics which affects their suitability for intrathecal administration
Colistimethate sodium: informing intrathecal risk assessment
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/colistimethate-sodium-informing-intrathecal-risk-assessment/
Colistimethate products vary in their licensed status and other characteristics which affects their suitability for intrathecal administration
Our Medication Safety Update
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/medication-safety-update/
A resource collating the latest medication safety communications and publications to inform, support and inspire medication safety improvements.
Considerations for developing national PGD and protocol templates
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/considerations-for-developing-national-pgd-templates/
Decisions to develop PGD templates under the national Medicines Governance Do Once Programme depend on a variety of factors and advice on exclusions is given.
2 new PGDs have been published for trimethoprim and nitrofurantoin for UTIS
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Trimethoprim-PGD-template-UTI-V2.0.docx#:~:text=UTIs
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nitrofurantoin-PGD-template-UTI-V2.0.docx#:~:text=UTIs
Next events – forthcoming webinars and conferences
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/home/events/next-events/
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'.
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4:20
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4:20
Primary care discussions: biosimilar insulin
An ‘on the couch’ discussion on the practical implementation of biosimilar insulin in primary care, focusing on hints and tips to consider should your system be considering this, and debunking some of the myths around biosimilar insulin. (50m30s). This is the audio of a webinar that was held on the 30 September 2025.
A range of speakers from SPS and other organisations will run this event.
Carolyn Barton
Head of Medicines Management (Knowsley Place); NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
Chris Haigh
Deputy Chief Pharmacist; NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
Jole Hannan
Head of Medicines Management (Wirral Place); NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
Georgia Lane
Senior Clinical Pharmacist (Knowsley Place); NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
Rakhi Aggarwal
Primary Care Lead, 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'.
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