Formulary Committee meetings

The East Region Formulary Committee (ERFC) and East Region Working Group (ERWG) meet approximately every 2 months. Information on the role and membership of these groups can be found on the Formulary Committee page. Guidance and access to application forms can be found on the Formulary application process page.

The Pre-ERFC Panel has been introduced as part of the ongoing Stop and Assess: Medicines work throughout the region to provide peer-review and advice back to applicants and the ERFC prior to commencing the formal formulary application process.

The panel will have regard for the overall value for patients within the East Region. The panel will review selected formulary applications and consider overall value in regard to cost-effectiveness, resourcing, safety concerns, implementation, displacement of alternative interventions, patient treatment pathways and clinical guidelines.

Any formulary applications forms (FAFs) that meet the criteria below will be considered by the Pre-ERFC panel:

1. Projected total cost to the region in excess of £150,000 (approx. Lothian £100k, Fife £40k and Borders £10k) in year 1, including medicine cost and additional resource use.
2. All biologic therapy will be reviewed against existing patient treatment pathways and place in treatment.
3. Where there is a discrepancy between local patient estimates and the SMC advice regarding estimated patient number for population size.
4. Where there is additional resourcing implication not identified by SMC during HTA process e.g. diagnostics, service provision etc.
5. All applications for unlicensed or off label medicines (FAF3 application).

The meeting schedule and submission deadlines are:

FAF3 and FAF4 applications that are supported at an ERWG meeting then proceed to the next ERFC meeting for approval.

Papers should be submitted to: eos.prescribing@nhs.scot. The accompanying email should note whether the FAF is for consideration be the pre-ERFC panel or for ERFC.

The minutes of previous East Region Formulary Committee meetings can be accessed below. Historic minutes of the previous Lothian Joint Formulary Committee can be accessed on the NHS Lothian intranet.