Hypodermic Equipment

NHSL Medicines Guidance
NHS Lanarkshire

Pen Needles: For Self-Administration of Insulin

Preferred list (P)

Insupen Original®

  • Available in 4mm/32gauge, 4mm/33gauge, 5mm/31gauge, 6mm/31gauge, 6mm/32gauge, 8mm/30gauge, 8mm/31gauge, 8mm/32gauge & 12mm/29gauge.
  • Please ensure Insupen Original® is prescribed, not Insupen®.

mylife Penfine Classic®

  • Available in 4mm/32gauge, 5mm/31gauge, 6mm/32gauge & 8mm/31gauge.

 

Safety Pen Needles: Health Care Professional Administration of Insulin

Preferred list (P)

Microdot® Max Safety Needle 

  • For use with insulin pen device in hospital and primary care setting (i.e. use by community clinicians who are administering insulin in the patient’s home).
  • Available in 5mm/30gauge.

Prescribing notes:

  • Microdot® Max Safety Needles have a shield which locks automatically after injection to minimise needle stick injury risk and to prevent repeated needle use. 
  • Safety needles are generally reserved for patients who require a health care professional to administer their insulin.
  • Safety needles may be used in exceptional circumstances for patients with a profound needle phobia who self administer insulin.

Safety Syringes: Only for Health Care Professional Administration of Insulin

Preferred list (P)

SOL-CARE® insulin safety syringe

  • For use with insulin vial in hospital setting.

BD SafetyGlide® insulin safety syringe

  • For use with insulin vial in primary care.

Prescribing notes: 

  • Safety syringes are reserved for patients who require a health care professional to administer their insulin. Syringes should never be used to draw out of pre-filled insulin pens or cartridges.
  • Hospital setting
    • The SOL-CARE® syringe has a visual confirmation of safety mechanism activation. The syringe cannot be reused once the plunger permanently locks within barrel. The plunger snaps off to permanently disable syringe.
  • Primary care
    • The BD SafetyGlide® syringe has a sliding safety arm that can be activated with one hand. An audible click indicates the shield is in the locked position and the needle is completely covered.

NHSL Joint Adult Formulary Key

To indicate the category of a formulary medicine, updated sections adopt the following key:

Preferred list (P): First-line formulary choices.

Total list (T): Alternative choices when preferred list options not effective/not tolerated, or not indicated.

Specialist initiation (S1): Specialist initiation, or on the advice of a Consultant or Specialist Practitioner in this therapeutic area. Continuation in primary care is acceptable.

Specialist use only (S2): Supply via hospital, Homecare Service or a hospital based prescription (HBP) for dispensing by community pharmacy. Not prescribed in primary care setting.

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 31/01/2022

Author(s): NHSL.

Version: Please refer to the introduction section for an explanation of the review dates above.

Approved By: ADTC

Reviewer name(s): ADTC.