The Medicines Optimisation Team supports healthcare professionals across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & Berkshire West (BOB) to optimise medicines use and ensure the right treatment choices are made. The medicines optimisation teams work both across BOB and at place.

The aims of the Medicines Optimisation Team are:

• To promote safe, evidence based and cost-effective use of medicines
• To provide up-to-date information and guidance about medicines and treatments
• To support prescribers and patients to make the best use of medicines
• To reduce the risks of adverse effects and harm caused by medicines
• To develop local guidelines and care pathways to optimise the use of medicines and management of conditions
• To work collaboratively with local hospital trusts and other healthcare providers to support medicines optimisation

For any medicines or prescribing related queries and communications please email the team: bobicb.medicines@nhs.net

 

BOB Area Prescribing Committee

The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & Berkshire West Area Prescribing Committee (BOB APC) was established in July 2022. The committee consists of GPs, representatives from the BOB ICB Medicines Optimisation team and representatives from healthcare providers across BOB, particularly the hospitals, Local Medical Committee and Local Pharmaceutical Committee.

BOB APC considers new drugs, prescribing guidelines, shared care protocols and provides recommendations on prescribing and medicines optimisation across the BOB Health Economy. The group considers any new NICE guidance which includes drugs. BOB APC classifies drugs according to the local ‘Traffic Light’ system.

The Traffic Light Prescribing Classification provides information on restrictions on prescribing certain drugs across the whole health economy and all providers are contractually obliged to adhere to them.

If you wish to make an application for a new medicine, guideline or shared care protocol to be considered by BOB APC please contact bobicb.bob.apc@nhs.net. Applications must be received at least 4 weeks prior to scheduled meetings to enable full support by the Medicines Optimisation team around review of evidence, clinical effectiveness and resource impact.

Prescribing Formulary

Work is underway to align the formularies across BOB.

The current formularies for the three areas can be found here:

Oxfordshire (oxfordshireformulary.nhs.uk)

Buckinghamshire (bucksformulary.nhs.uk)

Berkshire West (westberksformulary.nhs.uk)

Patient Information Leaflets

Patient information leaflets produced by the medicines optimisation team are available below:

BOB ICB Amiodarone Patient Information Leaflet
BOB ICB SGLT2i in Diabetes Patient Information Leaflet
SGLT2i in HF and Kidney Disease Patient Information
BOB ICB Eating and Drinking as Condition Progress
BOB ICB Eating and Drinking for People with Dementia
BOB ICB Food First – advice for eating if you have lost weight – Plant Based
BOB ICB Food First – advice for eating if you have lost weight or underweight – normal diet
BOB ICB High Protein Snack Options
BOB ICB Homemade Fortified Dairy-Free Drinks
BOB ICB Homemade Fortified Fruity Drinks
BOB ICB Homemade Fortified Milky Drinks
BOB ICB Oral Nutritional Supplement Fact Sheet for Patients
BOB ICB Woundcare Nutrition for Patients