Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has been issued to clinicians on recording suspected Topical Steroid Withdrawal in patient medical records, including GP records, where a formal diagnosis has not been made.

No specific guidance has been issued on recording suspected topical steroid withdrawal in patient medical records, including to general practitioners. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued guidance documents on topical steroid withdrawal, which are available at the following two links:

https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/topical-corticosteroids-information-on-the-risk-of-topical-steroid-withdrawal-reactions

https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/topical-steroids-introduction-of-new-labelling-and-a-reminder-of-the-possibility-of-severe-side-effects-including-topical-steroid-withdrawal-reactions

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also published guidance, which is available at the following link:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/corticosteroids-topical-skin-nose-eyes/management/topical-skin-treatment/