Background Information
The aim of the Northern Ireland (NI) Stoma care formulary is to provide practitioners with guidance on the prescribing of stoma care products that are recommended for use in NI. This formulary is for accessory products only.
The information contained within this formulary is intended for use by healthcare professionals, within primary and secondary care in Northern Ireland. We have made every effort to check that the information is accurate at the time of publication. SPPG do not accept any responsibility for the loss or damage caused by reliance on this information. Please refer to product literature for full details of cautions and contraindications.
The stoma products listed in this formulary are intended to meet the needs of the majority of patients and adherence to the formulary will be measured.
Whilst the formulary aims to standardise practice it is recognised that individual patients may require medicines which lie outside this guidance. This formulary is not intended to restrict prescribing.
The Northern Ireland formulary provides guidance on the prescribing in adults.
This formulary is based on PrescQIPP guidance.
Points to note
- The formulary applies to new and established stoma patients.
- Most patients will need an accessory at some stage of life with a stoma, even if only for a short time.
- New accessory products should only be prescribed following a written recommendation from the stoma team (hospital or community).
- The stoma clinical nurse specialist team (hospital or community) will occasionally recommend prescribing off formulary. Rationale for prescribing off formulary will be provided in their recommendation.
- Typical usage quantities listed in this formulary are guidelines only. Some patients may require a higher or lower quantity than stated.
Any changes to a patient’s stoma accessory should be approved by a stoma nurse in consultation with the patient.
The following items should not be routinely prescribed for patients with a stoma
- Deodorisers
- Skin cleansers
- Bag/pouch covers
- Barrier creams
- Stoma filters
- Gauze swabs
- Light support wear, as this does not provide support for a parastomal hernia. High-waisted support wear is available to purchase over-the-counter from high-street stores or online from ostomy underwear suppliers.
The following items should only be prescribed if requested by a specialist stoma nurse.
- Lubricating deodorants
- Ring seals
- Stoma collars
- Stoma pastes
- Stoma powders
- Stoma support wear for parastomal hernia prevention in high-risk patients or management of parastomal hernia. Level 3 support wear should be prescribed on an individual basis after assessment by the stoma nurse.