The Use of Medicines Committee (UMC) is a multi-disciplinary team that is responsible for overseeing all medicines management practice within UCLH, including the Medicines Formulary. The UMC has a robust system for the evaluation of both new and existing medicines, as well as the assessment of therapeutic practices, guidelines and policies.
The primary role of the UMC is to ensure the use of clinically effective, clinically safe, and cost effective medicines, with decisions driven by an evidence-based approach. The UMC collaborates externally with the North Central London Joint Formulary Committee, and internally with the Medicines Safety Committee, Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee, and other groups, to focus on optimising medicine management, monitoring medication safety and improving patient care.
The UCLH Medicines Formulary has an important role in directing staff towards the safe and effective use of medicines throughout UCLH.
The benefits of implementing a local medicines formulary include:
- Improving patient outcomes by optimising the use of medicines
- Supporting the inclusion of patient factors in decision-making about medicines
- Improving local pathways
- Improve collaboration between commissioner and provider
- Improving quality by reducing inappropriate variations in clinical care
- Improving quality through access to cost-effective medicines
- Supporting financial management and expenditure on medicines across health communities
- Supporting prescribers to follow guidance published by professional regulatory bodies in relation to medicines and prescribing
In accordance with the Innovation, Heath and Wealth document published by the Department of Health in 2012, all medicines recommended in a NICE Technological appraisal that are relevant to clinical practice at UCLH are automatically adopted into the UCLH medicines formulary in a planned manner that ensures their safe and appropriate introduction in clinical practice (e.g. creation of prescribing/administration protocols, establishing clear position in the treatment pathway). Any medicines that have a governance or safety concern will be added to the formulary with a restriction to ensure patient safety.
The link on the right of this page provides a list of all medicines on the UCLH formulary (including NICE recommended treatments).