All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) Guidance
Published on: 1st February 2022 | Updated on: 31st October 2023
Primary Care Antimicrobial Guidelines
The Primary care antimicrobial guidelines have been updated on the AWTTC website. The section on Scarlet Fever has received a minor update to add additional treatment options for patients with penicillin allergy, as per updated NICE CKS guidance. In addition, a miconazole vaginal cream treatment footnote has been added to the Vaginal Candidiasis section due to discontinuation of the preparation.
English: Primary care antimicrobial guidelines – All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (nhs.wales)
Maximising the opportunity presented by biosimilar medicines
A national strategy for Wales’ document is available on the AWTTC website. The strategy sets out the steps the NHS and its partners in Wales will take to support the conditions needed to create a strong, competitive biological and biosimilar medicines’ market in the UK benefiting the NHS, patients and the economy of Wales. The following links will take you to the webpage where you can find out more about this strategy: English / Welsh
COPD Guideline
An updated version of All Wales COPD management and prescribing guideline, first endorsed by AWMSG in 2019, is now available. The guideline aims to reduce variation in inhaler prescribing in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The document includes details of changes made during this update on the cover sheet.
National Prescribing Guidelines for Asthma and COPD (December 2021)
The national prescribing guidelines for asthma can be found at All Wales adult asthma management and prescribing guideline – All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (nhs.wales). The national prescribing guidelines for COPD can be found at All Wales COPD management and prescribing guideline – All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (nhs.wales)
LOCAL ANTIMICROBIAL GUIDELINES MARCH 2022
Prescribing Dilemmas
This document provides guidance for healthcare professionals regarding prescribing duration, foodstuffs, complementary medicines and alternative therapies, common ailments, fertility treatment, erectile dysfunction, prescribing for self and family, visitors from overseas, travel and occupational health vaccines, prescribing situations not covered by the NHS including private care and private prescriptions, unlicensed medicines and prescribing outside national guidance. The document can be accessed at
https://awmsg.nhs.wales/medicines-appraisals-and-guidance/medicines-optimisation/prescribing-guidance/prescribing-dilemmas-a-guide-for-prescribers/
Medicines optimisation framework
This framework details the processes behind the development of medicines optimisation resources that are endorsed and published by AWMSG, describes how new projects can be proposed and explains how these proposals are considered. The framework can be accessed at https://awmsg.nhs.wales/medicines-appraisals-and-guidance/medicines-optimisation/medicines-optimisation-framework/
All Wales Multidisciplinary Reconciliation Policy
The All Wales Multidisciplinary Medicines Reconciliation Policy document has been developed to provide healthcare professionals with information to promote the safe and timely completion of medicines reconciliation and provides guidance on completing the process. The guidance can be accessed here.
Medicines Identified as Low Priority for Funding in NHS Wales
The Medicines Identified as Low Priority for Funding in NHS Wales document has been developed to provide healthcare professionals with information to minimise the prescribing of medicines that offer a limited clinical benefit to patients and where more cost effective treatments may be available. Five medicines have been identified for the purposes of this document: co-proxamol, lidocaine plasters, tadalafil once daily preparations, liothyronine and doxazosin modified release tablets. A guidance document has been prepared by the NHS Wales Pharmacy Directors with support from the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (AWTTC), and has been endorsed by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) at their October 2017 meeting. The guidance can be accessedhere.