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 Formulary Chapter 21: Palliative Care Formulary - Full Chapter
Notes:

This chapter of the formulary is under continual development, please let the team know if you have any comments about the contents: mlcsu.lscformulary@nhs.net

For more information about the formulary development process, please see: https://www.lancsmmg.nhs.uk/lancashire-and-south-cumbria-icb-formulary-development/

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21  Expand sub section  Palliative Care Formulary Drugs
Amitriptyline
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Formulary
Green Restricted

Palliative care

Neuropathic pain

 
 
Bisacodyl
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Formulary
Green Restricted

Palliative care

Constipation

 
 
Celecoxib
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Pain: Anti-inflammatory

 
 
Co-danthramer
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Constipation

Opiod-induced constipation

 
 
Cyclizine
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting in the last days of life

Opioid-induced nausea and vomiting

 
 
Dexamethasone
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Bowel obstruction - reduction of tumour oedema associated with bowel obstruction

Breathlessness

Corticosteroids in palliative care - Anorexia, Adjuvant analgesic, Nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, Obstructive syndromes, Raised intracranial pressure, Spinal cord compression

Nausea and vomiting - raised Intracranial Pressure

Palliative care emergencies - SVC obstruction AND Metastatic spinal cord compression

 
 
Diazepam
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Palliative care

Seizures

 
 
Docusate
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Palliative care

Constipation

Opioid-induced constipation

 
 
Domperidone
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Formulary
Green Restricted

Palliative care

Nausea and vomiting

 
 
Duloxetine
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Neuropathic pain

 
 
Fentanyl
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Palliative care

Pain

 
Link  MHRA: Fentanyl skin patches: How to use and dispose of them safely
Link  MHRA: Serious and fatal overdose of fentanyl patches
 
Gabapentin
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Formulary
Green Restricted

Palliative care

Neuropathic pain

 
 
Glycopyrronium
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Palliative care

Bowel obstruction - colic associated with bowel obstruction AND GI secretions associated with bowel obstruction

Respiratory tract secretions in the last days of life

 
 
Haloperidol
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Care in the last weeks or days of life - Nausea and vomiting in the last days of life AND Agitation/terminal restlessness in the last days of life

Nausea and vomiting

Opioid-induced nausea and vomiting

 
 
Hyoscine butylbromide
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Palliative care

Bowel obstruction - colic associated with bowel obstruction AND GI secretions associated with bowel obstruction

Respiratory tract secretions in the last days of life

 
 
Hyoscine hydrobromide
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Palliative care

Respiratory tract secretions in the last days of life

 
 
Ibuprofen
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Palltiave care

Pain: Anti-inflammatory

 
 
Lactulose
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Palliative care

Constipation

 
 
Levomepromazine
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Palliative care

Care in the last weeks or days of life - Nausea and vomiting in the last days of life AND Agitation/terminal restlessness in the last days of life

Nausea and vomiting

Opioid-induced nausea and vomiting

 
 
Lorazepam
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Palliative care

Breathlessness

Breathlessness in the last days of life

 
 
Metoclopramide
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Formulary
Green Restricted

Palliative care

Nausea and vomiting

Opioid-induced nausea and vomiting

 
 
Midazolam
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Palliative care

Breathlessness

Care in the last weeks or days of life - Breathlessness in the last days of life AND Agitation/terminal restlessness in the last days of life

Palliative care emergencies - Seizures AND Anixolytic following major blood loss

 
 
Morphine
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Palliative care 

Breathlessness

Pain in the last weeks or days of life

Breathlessness in the last days of life

Pain

 
 
Naloxegol
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Opioid-induced constipation

 
 
Naproxen
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Pain: Anti-inflammatory

 
 
Octreotide
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Palliative care

Bowel obstruction - GI secretions associated with bowel obstruction. 

 
 
Ondansetron
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Bowel obstruction - nausea and vomiting associated with bowel obstruction

 
 
Oxycodone
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Breathlessness in the last days of life (on the advice of a specialist)

 
 
Oxygen
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Formulary
Green Restricted

Palliative care

Breathlessness

 
 
Pregabalin
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Palliative care

Neuropathic pain

 
 
Prochlorperazine (buccal)
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Green Restricted

Palliative care

Nausea and vomiting in the last days of life

 
 
Salbutamol 2.5mg nebules
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Formulary
Green Restricted

Palliative care

Breathlessness

 
 
Senna
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Palliative care

Constipation

Opioid-induced constipation

 
 
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebules
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Formulary
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Palliative care

Breathlessness

 
 
 ....
Key
Restricted Drug Restricted Drug
Unlicensed Drug Unlicensed
click to search medicines.org.uk
Link to adult BNF
click to search medicines.org.uk
Link to children's BNF
click to search medicines.org.uk
Link to SPCs
SMC
Scottish Medicines Consortium
Cytotoxic Drug
Cytotoxic Drug
CD
Controlled Drug
High Cost Medicine
High Cost Medicine
Cancer Drugs Fund
Cancer Drugs Fund
NHSE
NHS England
Homecare
Homecare
ICB
ICB
Green Low Carbon

Low carbon footprint

Amber Medium Carbon

Medium carbon footprint

Red High carbon footprint

High carbon footprint

Status Description

Green

Green: Appropriate for initiation and ongoing prescribing in both primary and secondary care. Generally, little or no routine drug monitoring is required.  

Green Restricted

Green (Restricted): Appropriate for initiation and ongoing prescribing in both primary and secondary care provided: Additional criteria specific to the medicine or device are met, or The medicine or device is used following the failure of other therapies as defined by the relevant LSCMMG pathway. Generally, little or no routine drug monitoring is required.   

Red

Red medicines: Medicine is supplied by the hospital for the duration of the treatment course. Primary care initiation or continuation of treatment is not recommended unless exceptional circumstances such as specialist GP. Red medicines are those where primary care prescribing is not recommended. These treatments should be initiated by specialists only and prescribing retained within secondary care. They require specialist knowledge, intensive monitoring, specific dose adjustments or further evaluation in use. If however, a primary care prescriber has particular specialist knowledge or experience of prescribing a particular drug for a particular patient it would not always be appropriate for them to expect to transfer that prescribing responsibility back to secondary care. There should be a specific reason and a specific risk agreement, protocol and service set up to support this. Primary care prescribers may prescribe RED medicines in exceptional circumstances to patients to ensure continuity of supply while arrangements are made to obtain ongoing supplies from secondary care.  

Amber 0

Amber level 0: Suitable for prescribing in primary care following recommendation or initiation by a specialist. Little or no specific monitoring required. Patient may need a regular review, but this would not exceed that required for other medicines routinely prescribed in primary care. Brief prescribing document or information sheet may be required. Primary care prescribers must be familiar with the drug to take on prescribing responsibility or must get the required information. When recommending or handing over care, specialists should ask primary care prescribers to take over prescribing responsibility, and should give enough information about the indication, dose, monitoring requirements, use outside product licence and any necessary dose adjustments to allow them to confidently prescribe.  

Amber 1

Amber level 1 (with shared care): Suitable for prescribing in primary care following recommendation or initiation by a specialist. Minimal monitoring required. Patient may need a regular review, but this would not exceed that required for other medicines routinely prescribed in primary care. Full prior agreement about patient’s on-going care must be reached under the shared care agreement. Primary care prescribers are advised not to take on prescribing of these medicines unless they have been adequately informed by letter of their responsibilities with regards monitoring, side effects and interactions and are happy to take on the prescribing responsibility. A copy of locally approved shared care guidelines should accompany this letter which outlines these responsibilities. Primary care prescribers should then tell secondary care of their intentions as soon as possible by letter so that arrangements can be made for the transfer of care.  

Amber 2

Amber level 2 (with shared care and enhanced service): Initiated by specialist and transferred to primary care following a successful initiation period. Significant monitoring required on an on-going basis. Full prior agreement about patient’s on-going care must be reached under the shared care agreement. Suitable for enhanced service. These medicines are considered suitable for GP prescribing following specialist initiation of therapy, as per shared care document which will be sent out with the request to prescribe, with on-going communication between the primary care prescriber and specialist. Amber Level 2 medicines require significant monitoring for which an enhanced service may be suitable. (Subject to local commissioning agreements).  

Do Not Prescribe

Do not prescribe: NOT recommended for use by the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria. Includes medicines that NICE has not recommended for use and terminated technology appraisals, unless there is a local need.  

Grey

Grey medicines: Medicines which have not yet been reviewed or are under the review process. GPs and specialists are recommended not to prescribe these drugs. This category includes drugs where funding has not yet been agreed.   

Multiple

Refer to local guidance.  

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