The NENC Integrated Care System now has one governance procedure through the ICB Medicines Sub-Committee. This is supported by Northern Treatment Advisory Group (NTAG) and its subgroups. Until guidance can be reviewed by the ICB Medicines Sub-Committee and its sub-groups all guidance and agreements previously approved by the predecessor three Area Prescribing Committees (APCs) of County Durham & Tees Valley; North of Tyne, Gateshead & North Cumbria; and South Tyneside & Sunderland are still valid whilst within their review date. Clinicians referring to this guidance after any expiry date should exercise caution. ICB approved prescribing guidance and agreements will be hosted on the NTAG website moving forward and this is available publicly at https://ntag.nhs.uk/ .
Introduction
The North of Tyne Area Prescribing Committee was established in January 2007 by the merging of the Newcastle Drug and Therapeutics Committee and the Northumberland and North Tyneside Drug and Therapeutics Committee. It was established to facilitate a cross-organisational approach to medicines management issues and clinical decision making which affect primary care, acute hospitals, mental health, learning disabilities and social care.
In January 2016, following the merger of Newcastle North and East, Newcastle West and Gateshead CCGs the committee merged with Gateshead Medicines Management Committee and in 2018 North Cumbria CCG , North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS trust and Cumbria Partnership NHS foundation trust also joined
The Area Prescribing Committee (APC) serves the following participating organisations:
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NUTH)
- Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTWT)
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHCT)
- NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group
- NHS North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group
- NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- North Cumbria CCG
- North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Cumbria Partnership NHS foundation Trust
