Skin cleansers and antiseptics (Formulary: Dermatology)

TAM (Treatments and Medicines) NHS Highland
NHS Highland

For information on the use of skin cleansers and antiseptics refer to the NHS Scotland National Infection Prevention and Control Manual, the MRSA Policy and other Infection Control Policies.   Also refer to emollients for hand eczema and emollient bath additives with antiseptics listed in Emollient and barrier preparations.

POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE

Therapy notes

NPSA alert re inadvertent oral administration

Formulation and dosage details

Formulation:

Tablets for cutaneous solution 400mg (Prescribing restrictions, see below)

Dosage:

Notes:

In primary care:

  • As per BAD recommendations: Potassium permanganate concentrate should always be prescribed for a named patient by a primary care prescriber experienced in the treatment of dermatological conditions and use of potassium permanganate.
  • Ensure patients are NOT on repeat prescriptions for potassium permanganate
  • Prescriptions to include clear instructions to dilute before use
  • Dispensing label to include the warning ‘HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED’.

In secondary care:

  • As per BAD recommendations: Potassium permanganate concentrate should always be prescribed for a named patient by a specialist in dermatology, a clinician working under the guidance of a dermatologist, or specialist tissue viability staff only.
  • To be supplied on a named patient basis only
  • To be prescribed as ‘potassium permanganate 0.01% topical solution’ and the dispensing label must include the warning ‘HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED’
  • Potassium permanganate is not to be stored with medicines for oral/internal use, including the ward drug trolley; dilution should occur away from the patient, and neither the concentrated form or the diluted form, should be left near the patient.

All settings:

Editorial Information

Document Id: F141