Monthly Horizon Scanning Report – September 2025
Monthly horizon scanning reports are designed to inform the NHS about new products, significant changes to product licenses, significant new guidance, and decisions that have been made by recognised bodies.
This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals
This September edition can be found here
Monthly formulary amendments – August 2025
Monthly Formulary Amendments Documents list any NICE Technology Appraisals, NICE Guidelines, MHRA Drug Safety Updates, and National Patient Safety Alerts published in the previous calendar month which may have an impact on local formularies and guidelines. This document is for APCs, and formulary committees to ensure formularies remain up to date, and in line with latest NICE guidance and safety information.
This edition which covers guidance and alerts published in August 2025 can be found here
Regional Prescribing Position North East Yorkshire Region: August 2025
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide the regional team with an overview of the primary care prescribing position in the North East & Yorkshire region, the progress made in the National Medicines Optimisation Opportunities and the wider focus on prescribing for the North East and Yorkshire ICBs.
The bulletin for the North East & Yorkshire region can be found here
RDTC reports, publications, resources demo and Q&A sessions
The RDTC are offering a series of sessions for NHS colleagues to attend a relaxed demo of RDTC resources. We’ll bring a few of the RDTC team; analysts, scientists and pharmacists, you’re welcome to bring a cuppa and any questions you might have.
Sessions will be delivered by Microsoft Teams and will last around an hour, including time for you to ask questions. The available sessions are:
| Date | Time | Topics covered |
| Week commencing 18th November, date TBC | 10:30am-11:30am | Antimicrobial stewardship |
To book your place and receive an MS Teams link, please email: nuth.nyrdtc.rxsupp@nhs.net with the details of the session(s) you would like to attend.
If you are unable to attend on the dates/times available but would like to, or if you would like to request a specific demonstration session for yourself and colleagues, please email us to discuss alternative options.
Pylera for the eradication of Helicobacter Pylori infection
Pylera is a new triple fixed-dose combination capsule containing bismuth, metronidazole and tetracycline. In combination with omeprazole, it is indicated for the eradication of H. pylori and prevention of relapse of peptic ulcers in patients with active or a history of H. pylori associated ulcers. The aim of this report is to evaluate the efficacy, safety and potential place in therapy of Pylera.
The Medicines in Practice bulletin for Pylera can be accessed here
Formulary assessment – Budesonide 4mg suppositories
Formulary assessment tools are templates to support local decision making. They list NICE guidance, MHRA safety advice, and other relevant high quality advice and guidelines relevant to making decisions for local formularies.
The templates are pre-populated with useful information to reduce duplication of effort, with space for the addition of local information as appropriate. The purpose of the document is to support consistent decision making by formulary groups and APCs.
The information in this document is correct at the time of publication and formulations may change. This information is produced for use by NHS healthcare professionals and RDTC stakeholders.
The Formulary Assessment tool for Budesonide 4mg suppositories can be accessed here
Great North Pharmacy Research Collaborative 2025
The Great North Pharmacy Research Collaborative conference 2025 is taking place on Friday 18th July.
RDTC are attending as always, and this year we’re bringing several posters:
- Analysis of GLP-1 medication Yellow Card reports submitted in the Northern and Yorkshire region in 2024-2025
- Uptake of NICE TAs in the eligible populations
- Using data analysis to identify a ‘medicines roadmap’ to support the uptake of electronic repeat dispensing
We’re also running a breakout session on Deprivation in the North and the effect on prescribing analysis. This will run during the second of the two breakout session slots, and we look forward to seeing you there.
We also have team members supporting the foundation trainee pharmacist workshop on sustaining the future workshop, and helping with assessing poster submissions.
We look forward to seeing you on the day, please come and say hello!
Antibiotic STAR-PU: Updated weightings for 2024 population
STAR-PUs were developed with the intended purpose of enabling adjustment to the cost-based medicines dispensed (prescribing) data to account for the demographic variables; age, sex and temporary resident status. However, changes in prescribing behaviour and trends, alongside demographics, over time, necessitate that this weighting is refreshed to ensure that it remains accurate.
The RDTC have calculated updated antibiotic ‘specific therapeutic group age-sex related prescribing units’ (STAR-PUs) as both cost and item-based weightings for England. This bulletin describes the methodology and revised oral antibiotic STAR-PU weightings
Formulary Assessment Tool- Spironolactone (Qaialdo) 10 mg/1 ml oral suspension
Formulary assessment tools are templates to support local decision making. They list NICE guidance, MHRA safety advice, and other relevant high quality advice and guidelines relevant to making decisions for local formularies.
The templates are pre-populated with useful information to reduce duplication of effort, with space for the addition of local information as appropriate. The purpose of the document is to support consistent decision making by formulary groups and APCs.
The Formulary Assessment tool for Spironolactone oral suspension (Qaialdo) can be accessed here
Top 50 expenditure report updated
This report looks at the top 50 BNF sections and drugs, with a focus on cost growth and item growth.
To access the latest report, visit Top 50 BNF Sections and Drugs.