Prescribing Policy Changes – Salbutamol

Dear Patient

We are currently overhauling our Medicines Management Policy. As part of this work, we will soon be implementing some changes regarding the management of our prescribing.

All the work we are doing on this project is solely based on clinical safety, and we will not be implementing any changes that are based on financial considerations.

Our first focus is on Salbutamol inhalers for patients with a diagnosis of Asthma.

We have 1272 patients registered with us who have asthma. 494 of those patients have a salbutamol containing inhaler on Repeat prescribing.

Over the next few weeks, we will be removing salbutamol from those asthma patients who have salbutamol inhalers on their regular repeat medication. This means that when a new salbutamol inhaler is required, you will need to stipulate it as an additional item on your monthly medication order (or as a standalone order). It will no longer be on your repeat medication.

Why make this change?

The change is driven by clinical safety. Evidence has shown that the overuse of salbutamol can make asthma symptoms worse. By ordering items that are not on a patient’s regular repeat medication, it involves an additional check by our GPs, which will enable them to identify patients who require additional support with the management of their asthma.

Most patients with asthma, if it is well controlled, should only require 3-4 salbutamol inhalers per year. Identifying those who need more than 3-4 a year is a crucial step to ensuring that patients are being prescribed the most effective regime for the management of their asthma, and that inhalers are being used correctly.

We have no intention of stopping any of our patients obtaining the salbutamol inhalers they require to manage their condition. We are just tightening up our processes to ensure clinical safety.

We apologise for any inconvenience that may be caused by this change in surgery prescribing policy, but we hope you understand the reasons behind our decision.

Teresa Buglass

Practice Manager, Peacock Surgery