The Trust along with all NHS providers and primary care services within South West London prescribe in line with the South West London (SWL) Joint Medicines Formulary. The SWL formulary aims to recommend clinically effective, safe and economic medicines for use in both primary and secondary care. A joint formulary across both primary and secondary care supports prescribing across the hospital and primary care interface, to ensure consistency in prescribing and continuity in patient care.
For full details about which medicines are approved for use please see the South West London Joint Medicines Formulary. This is used with other resources, such as the British National Formulary, product summaries, and prescribing guidelines, to ensure the safe and appropriate prescribing of medicines.
How medicines are approved
The Medicines Formulary is approved by a Joint Formulary Committee (JFC), which meets monthly. The JFC manages the introduction of new medicines across SWL.
The SWL JFC is made up of representatives from:
- Croydon University Hospital
- Epsom & St Helier Hospital
- Kingston Hospital
- St Georges hospital
- SWL & St Georges Mental health trust
- South West London Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
Its members include Consultants, GPs and pharmacists.
Medicines recommended in a technology appraisal for use by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are automatically included. Proposals to include other medicines require a consultant medical or non-medical prescriber, employed on a permanent basis in a SWL provider organisation within the Integrated Care Service (ICS), or clinicians working as part of a SWL clinical network to make an application for the medicine to be considered.
Use of medicines outside the formulary
On occasion it may be suitable for a medicine to be prescribed which is not on the formulary.
Each Trust has a non-formulary application process which clinicians can use if they consider a non-formulary medicine to be the only suitable option for an individual where formulary medicines have been exhausted or are contra-indicated.
All non-formulary requests will be reviewed and assessed on an individual basis.
Where a non-formulary medication has been approved for use it may be appropriate for this to be prescribed in primary care under an individual care plan once the patient has been stabilised.
Our digital vision
In 2022 the Trust be launching our new 5 Year Digital Strategy, which will shape the direction of transformation for the Trust. The key theme of the Digital Strategy is digital inclusivity and codesign - so we need you to support us in outlining the key priorities and digital ambitions of the Trust and address the ways in which they can be achieved.
What do we mean by ‘digital?’
When we talk about Digital, we are referring to the various elements of technology that might be used to make your experience of using our services better. An example of this can range from video consultations to online appointment-bookings to mobile apps.
Our scope is broad, and your experience of digital may be different to that of your colleagues. For instance, you might have views on how we can manage our data better, or alternatively you might have views on the latest clinical systems, and we are keen to hear all aspects as we look to capture vital insights that will enable us to harness the power of digital to improve patient and staff experience across the Trust.
We are keen to capture the views of our colleagues so that the strategy codesigned with staff, stakeholders and service users.
A survey for service users, carers and residents can be found here – please do share these accordingly.
In addition to this survey, as the Strategy emerges, we will be keeping communication channels open and continuing to engage across the organisation, so there will be further opportunities for you to contribute to the Digital Strategy and direction of travel for the Trust.
Community engagement
South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust are dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities. We are committed to working with and engaging our local communities through various platforms to ensure both the local and wider community are consulted, updated and engaged in order to achieve our mission of Making Life Better Together.
As an anchor in our local communities, we contribute beyond providing healthcare: through employment, regeneration work, raising mental health awareness and sharing good practice.
Through the community arm of the Making Life Better Together Programme we are developing various opportunities for our community, such as work experience, engagement with a new Mental Ill-health Prevention and Recovery Programme, and our Integrated Programme is delivering investment and innovations across our sites and our services including the development of a new mixed-used community, Springfield Village.
Current Trust community engagement activities
Springfield Community
The local Springfield community receive regular updates on the transformation programme, through the Springfield Messenger newsletter and the quarterly Springfield community forum that has been set up, made up of local residents, counsellors and organisations.
Schools and FE college engagement
In partnership with STEP and SRM, the Trust is embarking on a new programme of activities for local schools and FE colleges to take advantage of learning opportunities linked to the development of Springfield village;
- Work experience opportunities
- Site visits
- Construction and mental health workshops
- Schools have submitted designs for a new youth ‘The hangout’ shelter for the new park
- Nature artwork to brighten up the green hoardings on site
- CAMHS ask the expert session with Dr Annika Clark
Check out more information on the Springfield Village website
Mental Health Awareness
The Trust supports national awareness campaigns for which we run events and workshops, as well as providing resources and signposting information to those who may need support for their mental health.
Some of the recent campaigns we have promoted are;
Check out our Events page or follow us on social media @SWLStG to find out more.
Movember with Kingston Library Service
As part of Men’s Health Day on 19th November and Movember, Kingston Library Service held an
event at Surbiton library with various activities for men to find out what is available in the Kingston Borough, and to speak with organisations regarding mental health. The Trust’s Community engagement officer attended, with Peer Engagement Worker, Owen, who presented at the event, using his own story of lived experience to highlight the importance of seeking help. Owen set the tone for the day, with many participants opening up and asking questions about managing mental health and wellbeing.
Mental Health in Construction - Virtual event for Carshalton College
On 9 December, Sir Robert McAlpine and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust were invited to deliver a virtual talk focussed on mental health within the construction industry to Level 2/3 plumbing,
electrical and carpentry students at Carshalton College. This talk covered an introduction to what mental health is, what stressors students feel at college and how these related to stressors within the construction industry, and support systems that are in place at both the college and within construction. The talk focussed on providing students with the information that they needed to continue to look after their own mental health as they progressed into work as well as how to look after their colleagues. This was an interactive session involving lots of discussion with the students, which produced some great talking points.
Developing Springfield Village
Construction partners STEP and the Trust’s Estate Modernisation team held an online webinar on the developments of Springfield Village for our local community. Community members joined us to find out more about the exciting new mental Health facilities that are we developing, the 32 acre park that will be available for all to use from 2023 and an update on the residential properties that are being developed by Barratt and City & Country. If you would like to catch up on the session, you can view on youtube here
Engagement with Mind in Kingston
As part of Mental Health Month in October, the Trust’s community engagement officer worked with Mind in Kingston to hold an online session ‘nourish the brain’ for community groups to find out about support services in Kingston to support mental health and wellbeing along some with tips and exercises.
This was followed up with a stand in Kingston Market Place on World Mental Health day, where we used this opportunity to speak to members of the public about mental health and signpost to our services.
Kicking off a conversation with Fulham FC Foundation
The Trust joined Fulham FC Foundation to launch their new mental health campaign ‘kick off a conversation’ at their local derby game against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday 16th October. Our newly designed promotional leaflet was handed out to provide fans with mental health support information.
Archived News and events
South London Listens
NHS mental health Trusts and councils have promised action to limit the pandemic’s long-term impact on the wellbeing of south Londoners at a virtual community summit.
Find out the latest on South London Listens here
Trust staff and Springfield Village partners take part in site litter pick
Volunteers from the Trust, STEP, Sir Robert McAlpine, City & Country, Barratt London, Pinnacle Power and Lawrence Baker took part in a Springfield litter pick to clear residual rubbish from the site, especially in hard to reach areas. This is a great example of members of all the development teams pulling together to take positive action to improve the local environment.
Making Life Better Together in 2021
On Wednesday 14 April we hosted a virtual community engagement event to share more on our exciting programme of investment, innovation and vision for mental health services in South West London.
If you weren't able to join the event, click here to catch-up. Download the event slides here.
Find out more information about the event here
For further information on community engagement please contact Emma Hill, Community Engagement Officer on emma.hill@swlstg.nhs.uk
How to find us
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Contact centre - 020 3513 5000
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Mental Health Crisis Line
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