Discontinuation of BNF Supply to NHS/Health System
NICE funds and manages the provision of the British National Formulary (BNF) and British National Formulary for Children (BNFC) to the NHS and other eligible groups in England on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care. This includes providing access to the BNF/BNFC online, which is updated monthly and hosted on the NICE website and on MedicinesComplete, the BNF/BNFC mobile app, and the print editions of the BNF and BNFC.
Following extensive user research showing an increasing preference for the online and mobile app versions, and in line with the NHS’s plans to digitise, connect and transform, NICE has made the decision that the upcoming print edition of BNF86 and BNFC 2023-24 will be the last to be supplied by NICE to the NHS in England. These final print editions supplied by NICE are scheduled to be distributed in October and November 2023.
The benefits of moving to digital BNF and BNFC content are clear. They include:
- Clinical safety – The digital offerings are updated monthly providing important clinical and safety information in a timely way. Print versions of the BNF and BNFC are provided once a year and are out of date by the time they are received by healthcare providers.
- Environmental Impact – Switching to a digital format of the BNF and BNFC supports the national priority to deliver a Net Zero National Health Service by 2040. Printing and distribution of the BNF and BNFC has a significant carbon footprint.
- Digital Transformation – Switching to digital BNF and BNFC content supports the NHS Long Term Plan objectives of digital transformation.
NICE is a world-leading organisation, committed to getting the best care to people, fast, whilst ensuring value for the taxpayer. Moving to digital BNF and BNFC content helps us fulfil these objectives.
Digital versions of the BNF and BNFC can be accessed in the following ways:
- NICE Website available via https://bnf.nice.org.uk/ and https://bnfc.nice.org.uk/.
The NICE website is free to use for the NHS and eligible users and does not require a login or registration.
- BNF App available via App Store and Google Play.
The BNF App can be used offline, is free to use and requires a login.
- MedicinesComplete website available via https://www.medicinescomplete.com.
MedicinesComplete is free to use for the NHS and requires a login.
Prioritising the use of digital versions of the BNF and BNFC over the print version represents the most efficient and safe way of accessing this trusted source of medicines information.
