NMS categories

NMS eligibility is limited to prescribed items on certain prescription types. Furthermore, four conditions/therapy areas were selected to be included in the initial roll-out of the NMS.

Prescription types

The prescription type must be valid for NMS (FP10, eFP10, Dental, Nurse, Hospital & FP10RA).

The prescribed drug must be listed in the NMS drug list (see categories and BNF references below).

Note: An NMS prescribed drug should not be present in the selected patient's drug history. However, pharmacists may use their professional judgement to determine whether or not to offer the New medicine service for patients who have had a change in formulation for their medicine. For example, NMS may be warranted with a change from tablets or a liquid medicine to an inhaler use as technique is one of the main problems with Asthma/COPD treatment.

NMS categories

These are:

asthma and COPD
type 2 diabetes
antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy
hypertension.

Asthma and COPD

BNF reference	BNF subsection descriptor
3.1.1	Adrenoceptor agonists
3.1.2	Antimuscarinic bronchodilators
3.1.3	Theophylline
3.1.4	Compound bronchodilator preparations
3.2	Corticosteroids
3.3	Cromoglicate and related therapy, leukotriene receptor antagonists and phosphodiesterase type-4 inhibitors

Type 2 Diabetes

BNF reference	BNF subsection descriptor
6.1.1.1	Short acting insulins (where the community pharmacist can determine that the medicine has been newly prescribed for a patient with Type 2 diabetes)
6.1.1.2	Intermediate and long acting insulins (where the community pharmacist can determine that the medicine has been newly prescribed for a patient with Type 2 diabetes)
6.1.2	Antidiabetic drugs

Antiplatelet/Anticoagulant therapy

BNF reference	BNF subsection descriptor
2.8.2	Oral anticoagulants
2.9	Antiplatelet drugs

Hypertension

BNF reference	BNF subsection descriptor
2.2.1	Thiazides and related diuretics
2.4	Beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs (where the community pharmacist can determine that the medicine has been newly prescribed for a patient with hypertension)
2.5.1	Vasodilator antihypertensive drugs
2.5.2	Centrally acting antihypertensive drugs
2.5.4	Alpha-adrenoceptor blocking drugs (where the community pharmacist can determine that the medicine has been newly prescribed for a patient with hypertension)
2.5.5	Drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system (where the community pharmacist can determine that the medicine has been newly prescribed for a patient with hypertension)
2.6.2	Calcium-channel blockers (where the community pharmacist can determine that the medicine has been newly prescribed for a patient with hypertension)

Note: Please be aware that other medication categories may be added to the NMS list. In such an event, Pharmacy Manager will be kept up to date via the periodic tariff updates.

Added 1st December 2011