Facts About Medicines Information:

• The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Medicines Information (MI) Service is situated within the pharmacy department at the hospital. The MI service is a well established dynamic centre that is part of the UK Medicines Information (UKMi) network.
• The service provides evidence-based information and advice to ensure safe, appropriate and optimised use of medicines.
• The service is staffed by a team of experienced and specialist pharmacists who work together to offer a wide range of services:
  • providing answers to questions and problems involving medicines and management of diseases and conditions for a wide range of healthcare professionals;
  • providing information and advice directly to patients through the Pharmacy Helpline;
  • providing training in medicines information skills to pharmacy undergraduates, pre-registration pharmacists and pharmacists;
  • providing medicines information proactively to healthcare professionals.

 Pharmacy Helpline

• The Medicines Information Pharmacists can be contacted between the hours of 09:00 and 17.00, Monday to Friday. Telephone 01603 286286 and ask for the Pharmacy Helpline.
• Please note that all of or our enquiries are documented and you will be asked to provide your name, hospital or NHS number, contact details and a list of the medication that you are currently taking.
• We cannot answer questions about your illness in general or about other people’s medicines.

In an average month we answer over 280 enquiries from patients and healthcare professionals e.g.:

• “Can I drink alcohol with my medicines?”
• “Which antidepressant is safe for a breastfeeding mum?”
• “What are the risks of inadvertent ciprofloxacin exposure in pregnancy?”
• “What is the UK equivalent of this Spanish antihypertensive?”
• “How long will it take for tamoxifen to be totally cleared from the body?”
• “What is the comparative side effect profile of the SSRI antidepressants?”

Bulletins Produced:

Clinipharms – these are intended to provide information to medical and nursing staff on topics which frequently generate enquiries and general advice on the use and monitoring of medicines.