NHS dm+d browser — A New Feature on OpenPrescribing

This week we have launched a new browser for the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices, better known as dm+d. dm+d is the standard dictionary for the medicines and devices used across the NHS. It contains codes and descriptions for all these medicines and devices; at last count there were over 150,000 packs of medicines and devices described. You can read more about the dm+d in this detailed blog.

What is the dm+d browser?

Our dm+d browser allows anyone to search and identify any product in the NHS. For example, you can see all the paracetamol products available in the dm+d here. We’ve previously written about how the dm+d can be useful, like using user-friendly names on the website, or identifying all dry powdered inhalers for analysis. As we have found our dm+d browser so useful, we believe others will find it useful too, and have now made it available publicly for anyone to use.

At the Bennett Institute we pride ourselves on developing our tools swiftly and iterating them based on the needs of our users. We believe that the most useful tools are built by listening to our users and pooling their stories with the knowledge and skills of our small mixed team of clinicians, academics, and software engineers. Please get in touch and tell us what you are using the dm+d browser for and what improvements you would like to see at feedback@openprescribing.net

Please pass the dm+browser on to colleagues and other developers as they may find it useful to support their work. At the Bennett Institute we want to be part of a rich ecosystem of small teams producing useful tools and services, to improve the work of the NHS. We would like to see a central national organisation take responsibility for sharing and disseminating the work of these useful tools and services. Organisations like NHSX are fundamental to transforming the culture of the NHS, setting standards and ensuring that useful tools and services are made available to NHS staff and patients to make their lives easier and support better outcomes.

If you have any questions, more insight into work you have done with dm+d that you can share or would like to request a topic for a future blog please get in touch at feedback@openprescribing.net.