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WRITING ABOUT MEDICATION? KEEP THE BNF BY YOUR SIDE It’s one of the best-selling books in the UK, and has been going since 1928 with a new edition twice a year. Not bad for a book without a plot, a hero or any action scenes. The British National Formulary, or BNF, as it’s better known, has the kind of success rate that would make most authors weep. All doctors, pharmacies and hospital wards in the UK receive a copy. The BNF isn’t just useful, it is in many cases required reading. All pharmacists have to take a BNF open-book exam to get their qualifications, and every nurse prescriber receives a free BNF as a part of their training. We learned this and much more about the NHS Drugs Bible at an educational evening hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), joint publishers with the BMJ, of the BNF, and its much newer, sister publication, BNF for Children. The publication’s extraordinary reputation is due to the rigorous way in which the information it contains is produced, checked and double-checked by the editorial team, expert clinical advisers and the Joint Formulary Committee. It’s little surprise that copies of the BNF are highly prized. Consultant Pharmacist Nina Barnett explained, “Hospital pharmacists guard their copies fiercely when they go onto the wards. Professor Martin Kendall, OBE, took us through the background to the BNF, and how to use it. The key is to start with the introductory pages, particularly those from page X onwards. These pages show how to use the BNF, with information on how to find the details you’re looking for, the information listed in each section and how to find significant changes in each section. There are sections on prescribing for patients with particular conditions, minimising drug interactions, advising patients on the treatment prescribed and even how to write clear prescriptions. If you don’t have the latest issues of BNF and BNF for Children, register on the website, bnf.org, and enjoy free access to the drugs directory. Speakers *Duncan Enright, Publishing Director for BNF Publications *Neal Patel, Head of Corporate Communications *Nina Barnett, consultant pharmacist at Northwick Park Hospital currently on a year’s secondment to the RPSGB *Professor Martin Kendall, OBE MB ChB MD FRCP, GP and senior medical adviser to the BNF Lesley Dobson
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