Achieving and maintaining competency as a nurse independent non-medical prescriber

‘Prescribing by a practitioner (eg doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist) responsible and accountable for the assessment of patients with undiagnosed or diagnosed conditions and for decisions about the...

The work goes on

Keeping infant vaccination ‘on the agenda’ as we enter a busy winter period

This winter is likely to be a particularly challenging one for the NHS. As the wider healthcare community continues to pull together to fight COVID-19 and minimise the impact of a range of infectious...

Drug breakdown: dabigatran

Day 1: As the first new/non-vitamin K oral anti-coagulant (NOAC) in class and the first warfarin alternative for 50 years, #dabigatran was licensed in the USA/UK in 2010–11 for the treatment and...

Novel application of ozone therapy for current and emerging diseases

In 1929, a book entitled ‘Ozone and its therapeutic actions’ was published, detailing more than 100 diseases that could be treated by O3 therapy (Juchniewicz and Lubkowska, 2020), and our knowledge of...

End-of-life care in a global pandemic

This editorial considers how end-of-life decision making has been impacted by the SARS-COVID-19 pandemic (Pattison, 2020). They state that the ‘unprecedented and unfolding global has forced healthcare...

Language and meaning

‘It is clear that without a questioning attitude to the meaning of apparently self-evident words and phrases in the scientific lexicon, confusion could arise’

Prescribing in primary care: a new dietitian-led medicines management team model of practice

At the time of the study (September 2018), the MMT covered two CCGs, Brighton and Hove CCG and High Weald Lewes Havens CCG. Table 2 describes the composition of the local MMT, as well as the number of...

Dermatology prescribing update: eczema

Emollients are first line therapy in eczema, this is evidence-based UK guidance (NICE 2007; 2018; PCDS, 2019). Complete emollient therapy should always be advised, this is: ‘everything that goes on...

Medication adherence: understanding the issues and finding solutions

Adherence is defined as the extent to which the individual's behaviour or actions match the recommendations agreed with their health professional (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence...

Adapting to the new normal

As I write this editorial it is the beginning of a new academic year and preparations are almost complete for the new intake of students across the wide range of healthcare-related programmes, both...