Prescribing is set to take its next leap into the future as NICE announces the launch of a new formulary app.
The British National Formulary (BNF) and the BNF for children (BNFC) provide details of medicines licensed in the UK, and how they should be prescribed. This includes details of their side-effects, contra-indications and doses.
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A new app, built for Apple iOS and Android platforms, will replace NICE’s own programme in order to streamline usage of the formularies for all prescribers and healthcare staff.
It boasts an ‘intuitive design and enhanced features’ around search and interactions checking and updating mechanisms. For the first time, BNF content will be available through a single app, providing ease of use and saving space on users’ devices.
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Director for guidelines at NICE Professor Mark Baker said: ‘There are over 50,000 regular users of the current NICE version of the BNF app so it is imperative that the transition to the new improved app runs as smoothly as possible.
‘To make sure that happens we’ll be reminding users via a banner displayed at the top of each page of the current app that from 13 July it will no longer be updated and will be completely withdrawn later this year. Users will be signposted to information on the NICE website about the new app, including how to obtain it and the benefits it offers.’
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The new app will not need internet connection to work, meaning guidance will be readily available at the point of care in a digital format to suit the needs of health and social care professionals.
It is available from the BNF’s own publishers.