RED AMBER GREEN
TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM FOR NHS STOCKPORT
NHS Stockport supports the use of the Red Amber Green traffic light system proposed by the Greater Manchester Medicines Management Group. This system provides professional guidance on where prescribing responsibility should lie in respect of a small number of specialist medicines. It is designed to balance patient safety and clinical responsibility with the inconvenience for patients of having to get mediation from the hospital. Finance should never be the reason that shared care is used or refused.
RED drugs – prescribing should remain within secondary care (hospital) for these medicines.
AMBER drugs – prescribing should be initiated in secondary care (hospital) and may be passed to primary care after a formal request supported in most cases by means of a shared care guideline written to cover the indication specified in that guideline.
GREENdrugs – prescribing can be initiated in primary care. These drugs may include those which would not normally be started by a non-specialist GP without a specialist opinion having first been obtained.
The GMMMG updates the full Red Amber Green(RAG) list on a regular basis. For the latest version, follow the link below and click on the list for adults or children.