Community Practitioners
Launch of new web-page for patient/public versions of
NICE guidance
There
is a new page on NICE’s website
- http://www.nice.org.uk/patientsandpublic.
This page allows the user to access all of NICE guidance written
for patients, carers and the public from one dedicated site.
The site gives you the opportunity to search for the
patient/public versions of our guidance by keyword, by health care
topic, or by date. In addition, by clicking ‘show all’ you
can access all of the clinical ‘understanding NICE guidance’
documents and all of the public health quick reference
guides. The page also gives the user the option to see other
versions of the guidance if they wish, and links back to
information on how patients, carers and members of the public can
get involved with NICE’s work.
New vitamin D leaflet for health
professionals
NHS MidLifeCheck is now fully operational at
www.nhs.uk/midlifecheck
The NMC has published the following position statement,
clarifying our standards for practice nurses and their employers on
giving vaccinations:
1. The Londonwide Local Medical Committees Limited published a
message on the 11 December 2009 in relation to swine flu
vaccinations and patient group directions (PGDs) for under 5s.
2. They stated that PGDs are not required in order to permit
experienced practice nurses to give vaccinations. Furthermore, they
went on to state that practice nurses are covered by the practice
provided a guideline is in place and the doctor has instructed the
nurse to use the guideline. This information is inaccurate.
3. All nurses and midwives must adhere to our
Standards for medicine management (NMC 2008).
4. We require all nurses and midwives including GP employed
nurses to supply and administer vaccinations against a valid PGD or
patient specific direction, unless they are operating under one of
the few exemptions such as an occupational health nurse.
5. Nurse independent prescribers can prescribe vaccinations for
the supply and administration by other nurses and midwives.
6. Failure to comply with this standard may bring a nurse’s
fitness to practise into question and endanger a nurse’s
registration.
7. All nurses and midwives should follow the standards when
supplying and/or administering medicine.
8. If a nurse or midwife has any concerns, please contact the
NMC advice service on 020 7333 9333 or advice@nmc-uk.org.
To access Publications,
please click here.
