Nicola Wake talks to Melissa Melly, a pharmacy technician in GP practice.  Melly shares how she resolved a difficulty in arranging blood tests related to medicines monitoring by undertaking venepuncture training and delivering urgent or overdue blood test appointments in a weekly clinic.

Phlebotomy: a Pharmacy Technician Coffee Break Conversation

Audio from our webinar held on the 4 March 2025 which featured a facilitated case-based discussion about the complexities of polypharmacy and deprescribing. This was a follow on from our first webinar, which lays the foundations of some of the deprescribing tools available. (57m02s)

Speakers: 
Lelly Oboh: Older people lead, NHS SPS
Jasvir Singh Dhillon: Clinical pharmacist, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin ICB, & GP practices
Rakhi Aggarwal: Primary care lead, NHS SPS

Primary care discussions: personalised evidence-based medicine to minimise polypharmacy

John Oliver, a Quality Assurance Specialist at SPS, presents a summary of the resources published by SPS between 3rd and 9th May.  

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:     

Primary care discussions podcast: personalised evidence-based medicine to minimise polypharmacy 
Audio of our webinar held on the 4 March 2025 
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/personalised-evidence-based-medicine-to-minimise-polypharmacy/  

Baclofen: informing intrathecal risk assessment. 
Baclofen products vary in their licensed status and other characteristics which affects their suitability for intrathecal administration 
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/baclofen-informing-intrathecal-risk-assessment/  

Understanding roles and responsibilities of PGD signatories 
Patient Group Direction (PGD) signatories include a doctor or dentist, pharmacist and representatives of the authorising body and the professional group. 
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/understanding-roles-and-responsibilities-of-pgd-signatories/  

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/  

Understanding when a check add value to medication processes 
Understanding what a check is, the principles of an effective check and factors to consider if introducing a check to a medication process. 
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/understanding-when-a-check-adds-value-to-medication-processes/  

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'.  

13 May: minimising polypharmacy podcast, intrathecal baclofen, & PGD signatories

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'.

13 May: minimising polypharmacy podcast, intrathecal baclofen, & PGD signatories

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

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