Black Country formulary launched

May 18, 2023

The Black Country Integrated Care System has been developing a joint formulary, so that all patients across our region will have equal access to medicines in both secondary and primary care (swap round). The new Black Country formulary is available at www.blackcountryformulary.nhs.uk

This will mean that at SWB there may be some gradual changes to our formulary, with drugs being added or removed in line with the Black Country.  You can still check current formulary status on Connect.

The gastrointestinal chapter has been the first chapter to be updated so please check formulary status before filling in a non-formulary request form, as you may find it is no longer needed. Additions to formulary include, cimetidine, nizatidine, sucralfate and bisacodyl, where non-formulary request forms will not be required. Removals to formulary include famotidine.

If asking GPs to continue to prescribe medication in the community, then the Black Country formulary site will advise on this using a traffic light system.

Black – Non-formulary, not prescribable in either secondary or primary care

Red – Hospital prescribing only. If a patient needs to continue on medicines, they will need to continue to receive supply from the hospital, either via an FP10 or hospital outpatient prescription

Amber (recommended) – GPs can prescribe as long as recommended by a hospital specialist

Amber (initiated) – GPs can prescribe as long as started and stabilised by a hospital specialist

Green – can be prescribed by primary and secondary care

For more information please email Emily.horwill@nhs.net