netFormulary NHS
North East and North Cumbria
ICS Formulary
 Search
 Formulary Chapter 7: Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and urinary-tract disorders - Full Chapter
Chapter Links...
 Details...
07.04.02  Expand sub section  Drugs for urinary frequency, enuresis, and incontinence
07.04.02  Expand sub section  Urinary incontinence
Oxybutynin
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
First Choice
Green
  • 2.5mg and 5mg tablets
  • 2.5mg in 5ml & 1mg/1ml oral solution
  • Immediate release oxybutinin is not appropriate for frail elderly people or those with cognitive impairment.

 

 
Solifenacin
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
First Choice
Green

  • 5mg and 10mg tablets 

 
Tolterodine 1mg and 2mg tablets
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
First Choice
Green
 
Darifenacin
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Formulary
Green
  • MR Tablets - 7.5mg, 15mg
 
 
Duloxetine
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Formulary
Green
  • Capsules: 20mg, 40mg
  • Moderate to severe stress incontinence in combination with supervised pelvic floor excercises only
 
 
Fesoterodine
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Formulary
Green
  •  MR Tablets - 4mg, 8mg
 
 
Propiverine
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Formulary
Green
  • Tablets: 15mg
 
 
Trospium
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Formulary
Green
  • Tablets: 20mg
 
 
Mirabegron
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Alternatives
Green

  • Approved for use when antimuscarinics don’t work, are not suitable or side effects are unacceptable, in line with NICE guidance. 

 
Link  NICE TA290: Mirabegron for overactive bladder
Link  MHRA Drug Safety Update (Oct 2015): Mirabegron - risk of severe hypertension and associated cerebrovascular and cardiac events
 
Oxybutynin Hydrochloride - patch
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Alternatives
Green
  • Oxybutinin patch 36mg (releases approximately 3.6mg in 24 hours). 
  • Approved for patients in whom two antimuscarinics have proved to be efficacious but the side effects are intolerable, or for patients who cannot swallow tablets.



 

 
 
Vibegron (Obgemsa® )
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Alternatives
Green
  • 75mg film-coated tablets
    • Approved for treating symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome in adults in line with NICE

 

 
Link  NICE TA999: Vibegron for treating symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome
 
Methylphenidate
(Giggle incontinence)
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Alternatives
Amber
  • Methylphenidate is approved for use as a third line option (after e.g. antimuscarinics, imipramine, and pelvic floor exercises) in the treatment of giggle incontinence in children. Its use should be subject to a therapeutic trial to be reviewed after two months and considered for Shared Care if patients have been shown to respond after the trial period.
  • The following methylphenidate formulations are approved for giggle incontinence:
    • 5mg & 10mg tablets.
    • 10mg, 20mg & 30mg m/r capsules (Equasym XL®).
    • 18mg, 27mg & 36mg m/r tablets (Xaggitin® XL)
  • Existing patients who are prescribed Concerta® XL should be reviewed and switched to Xaggitin® XL as appropriate
  • Xaggitin® XL is bioequivalent to Concerta® XL
  • The effects of Equasym® XL last for about 8 hours compared with about 12 hours for Xaggitin® XL. 
 
Link  MHRA Drug Safety Update (Sep 2022): Methylphenidate long-acting (modified-release) preparations: caution if switching between products due to differences in formulations
Link  North of Tyne, Gateshead and North Cumbria: Giggle Incontinence in children & young people aged 8 to 18 years
 
Vaginal Devices
View adult BNF View SPC online View childrens BNF
Alternatives
Green plus
  • Vaginal Devices for female stress urinary incontinence (e.g. Diveen, Contiform, Efemia)
  • Approved for use in line with NTAG / NICE
  • Product should only be initiated by a specialist pelvic health physiotherapists and specialist nurses
 
Link  NICE NG210: Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non-surgical management
Link  NTAG: Vaginal devices for female urinary stress incontinence
 
07.04.02  Expand sub section  Nocturnal enuresis
07.04.02  Expand sub section  antimuscarinics
07.04.02  Expand sub section  beta3-adrenoceptor agonists to top
07.04.02  Expand sub section  botulinum toxin
 ....
Key
Restricted Drug Restricted Drug
Unlicensed Drug Unlicensed
click to search medicines.org.uk
Link to adult BNF
click to search medicines.org.uk
Link to children's BNF
click to search medicines.org.uk
Link to SPCs
Cytotoxic Drug
Cytotoxic Drug
CD
Controlled Drug
High Cost Medicine
High Cost Medicine
NHSE
NHS England
Homecare
Homecare
CCG
ICB
Green Low Carbon

Low carbon footprint

Amber Medium Carbon

Medium carbon footprint

Red High carbon footprint

High carbon footprint

Status Description

Red

Drugs for hospital use only. The responsibility for initiation and monitoring treatment should rest with an appropriate hospital clinician and the drug should be supplied through the hospital throughout the duration of treatment. In some very exceptional circumstances (e.g. due to distance from the hospital, storage, supply or mobility/transport problems) it may be appropriate for the GP to be asked to prescribe a Red drug. This should be negotiated on an individual patient basis and should only be done with the GP’s prior informed agreement where the roles of the GP and hospital services are clearly defined and agreed. The GP should not feel under pressure to prescribe in these circumstances. For all RED drugs automatically added to the formulary in response to a positive NICE TA: Prescribers need to ensure that local Trust new drug governance procedures and pharmacy processes are followed before any prescribing.   

Amber

Drugs initiated by hospital specialist, but where continuing treatment by GPs may be appropriate under a shared care arrangement. These medicines are considered suitable for primary care prescribing following specialist initiation of therapy and stabilisation, with ongoing communication between the primary care prescriber and specialist as set out in the associated shared care guideline (SCG). Shared care should be initiated by the specialist, which includes consultant, suitably trained specialist non-medical prescriber or GPwER within a secondary, tertiary, or primary care clinic. The specialist should send the primary care prescriber a copy of the NENC Clinical Effectiveness and Governance (CEG) Subcommittee approved SCG to sign. The primary care prescriber should sign the SCG or indicate reasons why they are unable to accept the agreement and return a copy back to the specialist, as soon as possible. SCGs are available or are being developed for most of the drugs listed as AMBER.   

Green plus

Drugs normally recommended or initiated by a hospital specialist who is a prescriber, a GP with an extended role [GPwER], or a specialist within primary care which can be safely maintained in primary care and monitored in primary care. In some cases, a further restriction for use may be defined. The primary care prescriber must be familiar with the drug to take on prescribing responsibility or must obtain the required information from the specialist. Therefore, provision of additional information, or an information leaflet, may be appropriate in some cases to facilitate continuing treatment by primary care prescriber or provide information re stopping criteria. These are considered suitable for primary care prescribing following specialist assessment and recommendation of therapy, with ongoing communication between the primary care prescriber and specialist, if necessary. In some case these drugs require specialist initiation and short to medium term monitoring of efficacy or toxicity until the patient’s dose is stable. Following specialist review the patient may be transferred to primary care for ongoing prescribing. Ongoing prescribing by primary care can include, if required, additional dose titrations and assessment of efficacy, with ongoing communication between the primary care prescriber and specialist, if necessary. If the drug requires urgent initiation, it is expected that the specialist undertakes the initial prescribing responsibility for an appropriate period of time, usually a minimum of 28 days. A GREEN+ drug can only be recommended to primary care for initiation if does not need to be initiated within 28 days.  

Green

Medicines suitable for initiation, ongoing prescribing and discontinuation in all care settings, subject to appropriate communication between those responsible.  

Brown

UNDER REVIEW: drugs whose current formulary status or RAG status is currently under review.  

Not Recomended

Drugs that have been considered by the NENC Clinical Effectiveness and Governance (CEG) Subcommittee (or other approved body) and are not approved for prescribing within the North East and North Cumbria ICS. These may also include all medicines with a “not NHS” or “DLCV” classification in the BNF, those agents as included within the NICE “Do not do” list, and those agents included with the NHS England: Items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care.  

netFormulary