| GREEN |
First line medicines which may be freely prescribed by all prescribers within local or national recommendations. |
| BLUE |
Second line medicines which may be freely prescribed by all prescribers within local or national recommendations. |
| AMBER |
Medicines which should only be initiated/recommended by specialists but which may then be passed to primary care prescribers for prescribing |
| AMBER SHARED CARE |
Drugs initiated by hospital specialist, but where continuing treatment by Primary Care Prescribers may be appropriate under a shared care arrangement. Shared care guidelines are available or are being developed for most of these. If no shared care guideline is available, the hospital specialist should provide the Primary Care Prescriber with sufficient information and support to allow treatment to be continued and managed safely in primary care. |
| RED |
Drugs for hospital or specialist 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. Primary Care Prescribers should not be asked to prescribe. |
| BLACK |
Not recommended for prescribing in Primary or Secondary Care except under exceptional circumstances. |
| |
Cost = not recommended for cost reasons |
| |
Clinical = not recommended for clinical reasons |
| GREY |
Funding request required via the Individual Patient Funding Request Panel |
| PINK |
Multiple categories within the same drug group |