Insulins
NHS Improvement Patient Safety Alert
November 2016: Risk of severe harm and death due to withdrawing insulin from pen devices. A patient safety alert has been issued to warn NHS providers of the risk of severe harm and death if an insulin needle and syringe is used to administer insulin withdrawn directly from a pen device or replacement cartridge.
Drug Safety Update
October 2024: Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) equipment: guidance for users on reporting suspected adverse incidents and safety concerns to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme
September 2020: Insulins (all types): risk of cutaneous amyloidosis at injection site
April 2015: High strength, fixed combination and biosimilar insulin products: minimising the risk of medication error
NICE guidance
NG17 Type 1 diabetes in adults : diagnosis and management, updated August 2022
NG28 Type 2 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management, updated June 2022
NG3 Diabetes in pregnancy: management from preconception to the postnatal period, updated December 2020
Local guidance
Please click here for available local diabetes & insulin prescribing guidance
It is recommended that when prescribing insulins the word "unit" is not abbreviated.
- Short/rapid-acting insulins
- Intermediate-acting insulins and intermediate/rapid-acting combinations
- Long-acting insulins
- On Formulary Preferred
- On Formulary Second Line
- On Formulary Third Line
- Specialist Initiation
- Secondary Care Only
- Not Approved for Formulary