Targeted MURs for patients on NSAIDs
December 2011
Four drug classes — antiplatelets, diuretics, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anticoagulants — account for about half of these admissions and this is reflected in the high-risk drug targeted medicines use review service in England. Carina Livingstone shares early results from the south east, which support targeting medicines use reviews at patients on NSAIDs to improve gastrointestinal safety, and tips for performing these MURs
Keep patients with heart failure out of hospital: ensure they get target doses
June 2011
Although the quality and outcomes framework requires heart failure patients to be prescribed an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and a beta-blocker, there is little reporting of whether they are titrated to doses with proven benefits, says practice pharmacist Karen Mander Sanghera. She presents a snapshot of prescribing in Dudley and plans to increase benefits from drug therapy
Notes on prescribing and medicines management in children with epilepsy
June 2011
Although epilepsy can start at any age it often begins in childhood. Emma Kirk discusses the medicines management issues surrounding antiepileptic drug therapy in children
How to limit antipsychotic use in dementia
May 2011
It is estimated that only a fifth of people with dementia and who are prescribed an antipsychotic actually benefit. And considering the mortality risks, it is time for action by pharmacists, say Vanessa Redmond and Jonathan Cavan. They describe a new service reviewing antipsychotic prescribing for nursing home residents
VTE: a journey to meet that 90pc goal
April 2011According to the latest Department of Health figures, 68 per cent of adults admitted for acute care in the NHS in England were risk assessed for venous thromboembolism. Trusts failing to reach the 90 per cent target in April 2011 will find themselves penalised financially. Oweikumo Eradiri, lead medication safety pharmacist at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, gives insight into how his trust has been working to prevent VTE deaths
Generic or branded mycophenolate — what strategy should the NHS adopt?
December 2010The availability of generic mycophenolate mofetil for use after organ transplant offers the potential of considerable cost savings to a cash-strapped NHS but a transplant failure means money down the drain. Prescribing decisions, therefore, need careful consideration. Sinead Tynan and Paul Jerram present conclusions from a discussion with stakeholders from England and Wales
Rosiglitazone — managing the change to a suitable alternative product
October 2010Now that rosiglitazone has had its product licence suspended clinicians will need to consider switching patients to alternative agents. Mark Peasley, clinical pharmacist at Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, provides some guidance
Emerging concerns with PPI therapy
September 2010Proton pump inhibitors have transformed the management of upper gastrointestinal acid-related disorders but potential consequences of potent acid suppression are now emerging. With this year marking the 21st anniversary of the launch of these medicines in the UK and pantoprazole recently joining omeprazole as an over-the-counter option, Angus Thompson highlights some of the concerns
Mesalazine: is changing to the cheapest really cost-effective?
August 2010With over a dozen mesalazine products available for ulcerative colitis, choosing between them can be difficult. Anja St.Clair Jones discusses some of the factors that prescribers should consider. Choice should not be based on cost alone, she says, but should take into account current management strategies and adherence
Plugging a prescribing hole with formulation and compounding skills
August 2010What can you do when an effective medicine is discontinued and alternatives are just not the same? Ray Bunn, a community and palliative care pharmacist, describes how his pharmacy went back to basics to maintain the supply of a preparation for mouth ulceration in palliative care patients and avoid his local hospice having to pay the high cost of the product as a commercially procured unlicensed special
Better MURs for patients with chronic pain
June 2010Susan Youssef, senior lecturer at De Montfort University and community pharmacist with Dean & Smedley Ltd, describes some of the problems encountered during medicines use reviews with people with chronic pain and ways of improving care for these patients
Primary care pharmacist initiating insulin
April 2010Daljinder Singh Sidhu, senior pharmacist at Sandwell Primary Care Trust, describes his journey to competence in initiating insulin and establishing a pharmacist-led diabetes clinic
Medicines management on the move
February 2010The pharmacy department at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust has commissioned a number of initiatives to enhance the medicines management service to patients having surgery. Mark Thomas, Neil Gammack, Lynsey Curry, Angela Hempel, Peter Clarke and Andrea Watt describe this continual service improvement and the introduction of bedside medicines management through a mobile dispensing unit
Onwards and upwards with target MURs
January 2010As the Government looks to move forward with targeted medicines use reviews, what do we already know about which patients can be effectively targeted and how best to deliver the service? Carina Livingstone, associate director, clinical pharmacy, East and South East England Specialist Pharmacy Services, describes a range of target MUR projects at various stages of development and highlights some problems and successes
Taking the apathy out of depression — is it time to revisit your formulary?
December 2009Paul Jerram, head of medicines management at Isle of Wight NHS primary care trust, gives a personal view on antidepressant prescribing
Vision of a day when prescribing is embedded in pharmacy practice
October 2009Nine months ago, Anne Fittock took up a part-time post as one of two national non-medical prescribing advisers at the National Prescribing Centre. Lin-Nam Wang talks to her about her role, the current state of pharmacist prescribing and her vision for the future
Peer review offers from NHS Education Scotland
August 2009You might be happy with your consultation skills but have you ever wondered what your peers would make of them? Since May 2008, pharmacists in Scotland have had the opportunity to send video tapes or DVDs of their consultations to NHS Education for Scotland for peer review. Lin-Nam Wang reports
Medicines management for one patient revealed gaps we could fill
July 2009Lelly Oboh, consultant pharmacist, care of older people, and Jen Stevenson, STEP pharmacist, both at Lambeth Primary Care Trust, report on a case that highlights the need to develop local health community clinical pharmacy teams to lead joint working for older people
New controlled drugs resource available online
July 2009Pharmacists and anyone involved in the management and prescribing of Controlled Drugs now have access to a new online resource. The National Prescribing Centre has launched a micro-site to support the safe and effective use of CDs
Do we know how many of our MUR recommendations are followed?
June 2009Many pharmacists work with targets for medicines use reviews in mind. They also make many recommendations that improve patient care as a result of MURs. But just how many of these recommendations are followed? Alf Choudhury, a community pharmacist in Great Yarmouth and Waveney, looked into the results of his MURs using patient medication records and patient feedback
How Stoke-on-Trent is keeping its prescribing budget under control
May 2009Gareth Malson and Lin-Nam Wang talk to the head of medicines management at NHS Stoke-on-Trent, about incentive schemes to change prescribing behaviour and how switching from a macro- to micro-management system can lead to better control of resources
How to ensure you are not failing warfarin patients
April 2009The uptake of National Safety Patient Agency anticoagulant guidance has been slow. Susan Youssef, a community pharmacist and senior lecturer in pharmacy practice at DeMontfort University, explores some of the surrounding issues
How we made monitored dosage systems an option for more patients
March 2009Thinking of automation? Steve Mayers, pharmacy manager at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, a mental health and learning disabilities trust, explains why his pharmacy chose to automate the dispensing of monitored dosage systems and the benefits of doing so
Criminal justice sector prescribing
February 2009Graham Parsons works for the Plymouth Primary Care Addiction Service, specialising in treating opioid dependence. He describes how pharmacist prescribing in the criminal justice sector operates and gives tips to pharmacists who want to get involved
Type 3 reviews in Brighton and Hove: a service in development
January 2009Helena Stimpson, a pharmacist in East Sussex, describes her work developing and providing a type 3 clinical medication review service
Patients with asthma: problems revealed by medicines use reviews
March 2008Locum pharmacist Perry Melnick has been conducting medicines use reviews since May 2005. This year, with the help of pharmacy manager Lee Doherty, he has already performed over 300 at Manor Pharmacy, his regular locum spot in Letchworth. In this article, he shares some of his experiences of MURs for patients who have asthma
Drug Utilisation Research Group
March 2008Lin-Nam Wang reports highlights from the 19th annual scientific meeting of the Drug Utilisation Research Group held in London in February 2008
NPC launches interactive prescribing and medicines management resource
December 2007A novel online interactive learning resource, NPCi, aimed at NHS health care professionals and managers, has been launched by the National Prescribing Centre. According to Steve Morris, director of strategic development and operations at the NPC, despite significant efforts, there is patchy implementation of evidence and often a lack of access to high quality education and materials on therapeutics and medicines management
Current issues affecting PCO activity
December 2007Peter Burrill, specialist pharmaceutical adviser for public health at Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust, looks at medicines management issues, including current target-driven prescribing, from the point of view of primary care organisations
Taking on new areas of practice by becoming an independent prescriber
December 2007Lorraine Lanchbury describes how qualifying as an independent prescriber in February 2007 has increased the services she can offer
How supplementary prescribing can work in a substance misuse service
December 2007Clare Bellingham finds out how one community pharmacist has set up a supplementary prescribing service in substance misuse, and worked out how to computer-generate prescriptions along the way
How mental health trusts are making changes to medicines management
July 2007In January 2007, the Healthcare Commission published a report, “Talking about medicines”, which painted a picture of neglect of medicines management in mental health trusts (MHTs) in England and Wales. Lin-Nam Wang reports on the changes that have taken place since the report
First fellowship of FPMM announced
July 2007Peter Burrill, a specialist pharmaceutical adviser in public health at Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust, qualified as the first fellow of the Faculty of Prescribing and Medicines Management in April 2007
Patients with diabetes: problems revealed by medicines use reviews
July 2007Last year (2006), Nuria Laiglesia performed over 400 medicines use reviews at Alliance pharmacies in Norwich. In this article, she shares some of her experiences of reviews with patients who have diabetes
Independent prescribing — from back seat passenger to driver
July 2007In February 2007, Alison Doherty was one of the first pharmacists to qualify as an independent prescriber in England. In this article she describes her first six months
Hampshire medicines management project saves NHS over £1 million
April 2007Brian Curwain, chief pharmacist for Hampshire Primary Care Trust (West), reports on a combined savings effort across two PCTs
Secondary care can support PCT aims
April 2007Better communication between primary and secondary care allows hospitals to help primary care trusts meet their prescribing targets, according to research presented at the annual scientific meeting of the Drug Utilisation Research Group in February 2007
Failings in the system: a case study (root cause analysis)
April 2007One of the misconceptions about root cause analysis (RCA) is that its only purpose is to look at the primary cause of an incident. In fact, RCA looks for all the interventions after an incident or error that might have been an opportunity to rectify the problem. The case study in this article involves a patient who was prescribed two different beta-blockers for more than a year
Benefits of becoming an FPMM member
April 2007Anil M. Patel, a community pharmacist and supplementary prescriber based in Kingston upon Thames, explains the benefits of becoming a member of the College of Pharmacy Practice's Faculty of Prescribing and Medicines Management
Why many GPs ignore MUR forms
December 2006In this article, Howard Stoate, GP and chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy, gives his perspective on MURs
How I have used root cause analysis
December 2006In this article, Graham Lavender, a supplementary prescriber in a Southampton GP practice, describes three cases in which medication reviews did not result in an intended outcome and how applying root cause analysis allowed him to learn from each
Collaborative awards presented at gala
December 2006Last month the National Prescribing Centre hosted a gala ceremony to celebrate the medicines management collaboratives. Olivia Timbs (editor of The Pharmaceutical Journal) reports
What makes appropriate prescribing?
June 2006By Stephen Chapman Since the original Crown Report on non-medical prescribing, we have moved rapidly from patient group directions and supplementary prescribing by non-medical health care professionals, to the dawn of independent prescribing by pharmacists and other non-medical health care professionals
Prescribing needs a recognised model
June 2006Pharmacist prescribing is lacking a recognised national model that the health service understands. This is one of the emerging findings from a piece of research into pharmacist supplementary prescribing carried out by Amanda Evans, deputy head of medicines management and non-medical prescribing lead at Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth Primary Care Trust
How new prescribers can limit liability
June 2006The Department of Health working definition of independent prescribing was published in April. This definition is important because of the weight that is likely to attach to it when courts have to decide whether independent prescribers are meeting standards, Alison Gulliver, a solicitor at Capsticks, said at a conference on non-medical prescribing held at the Royal Society of Medicine in May 2006
Is this the beginning of the end for supplementary prescribing?
June 2006Independent prescribing became legal on 1 May 2006 with pharmacists in England being allowed to prescribe any licensed medicine (except Controlled Drugs) without clinical management plans
A new framework and accreditation process for membership of FPMM
June 2006The Faculty of Prescribing and Medicines Management (FPMM) was established in 2001 as a distinct semi-autonomous professional body within the College of Pharmacy Practice. It provides professional support for pharmacists in the UK, from any professional background, who are working, or are interested in working, in the specialist area of prescribing and medicines management
Pharmacist prescribers: is finding a mentor a barrier to accreditation?
April 2006By Clare Bellingham With more pharmacists taking up prescribing, there have been murmurs about a potential shortage of GP mentors. Clare Bellingham investigates. In order to enrol on a supplementary prescribing course, pharmacists need two things: a medical supervisor and a specified service for which prescribing will be required
Funding and lack of access to records could slow progress of independent pharmacist prescribing
April 2006Concerns that a lack of funding could hinder the progress of independent prescribing were raised at a meeting in London
How to make MUR accreditation easy
April 2006By Chris Rose Pharmacists who want to offer medicines use reviews need to get accredited. Chris Rose, communications lead for Essex Local Pharmaceutical Committee, describes a mass accreditation organised by his LPC
FPMM aligns with national agendas
April 2006By Bruce Warner and Ros Grant Bruce Warner and Ros Grant, board members of the Faculty of Prescribing and Medicines Management, describe changes to faculty requirements
Awards for prescribing and medicines management
January 2006Servier Laboratories has launched the Servier Prescribing and Medicines Management Awards. The awards support the implementation of educational and clinical initiatives and fund project development in the areas of osteoporosis, coronary heart disease and diabetes
Focus on prescribing science will grow
December 2005In this article, Hugh McGavock, visiting professor at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, explains why prescribing science is important
Supplementary prescribing one year on
December 2005Fiona Reid, primary care pharmacist for cardiovascular disease, describes her year with a hypertension and cardiovascular risk reduction clinic
Learning from practice experiences
December 2005By Nina Barnett and Jane Nicholls Nina Barnett, specialist pharmacist for older people, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, and Jane Nicholls, project lead, London Pharmacy Supplementary Prescribing Team, describe a two-year-old supplementary prescribing service for older people in Harrow
Contributing to a QOF assessment
December 2005In August 2004, the medicines management team at Central Liverpool Primary Care Trust was faced with the challenge of contributing to the PCT's first annual Quality and Outcomes Framework assessment and review. Rachel Mullen, practice pharmacist, and Janet Decamp, deputy director of medicines management, both at Central Liverpool PCT, report
Helping to avoid hospital admissions
September 2005Zoë Gross reports on Various initiatives, supported by the National Prescribing Centre's medicines management collaborative programmes, which are seeking to address how better medicines management can help avoid hospital admissions
Prescribing for hypertension and more
September 2005Years of frustration with not being able to prescribe dissolved with the news that pharmacists were to be allowed to become supplementary prescriber. Mohammed Ahmed, a prescribing practitioner at Doncaster West Primary Care Trust, shares his experiences of supplementary prescribing
Thoughts on independent prescribing
September 2005In this article, Hugh McGavock, visiting professor of prescribing science, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, explains why he supports supplementary prescribing but not independent prescribing
How to implement supplementary prescribing in primary care clinics
September 2005In this article, Bola Sotubo, pharmacist supplementary prescriber at Melbourne Grove Practice, Southwark, and Karen Acott, pharmacist supplementary prescriber and partner, Wallingbrook Health Centre, Devon, give tips for successful supplementary prescribing
Approaches to medication reviews
June 2005By Clare Bellingham Do pharmacists, doctors and nurses take different approaches to medication review?
What PCTs achieve with the Medicines Management Services Collaborative
June 2005Rachel Farrall and Ian Pye, both assistant programme developers in the medicines management team at the National Prescribing Centre, relate some achievements of primary care trusts through the Medicines Management Services Collaborative
Prescribing in a rheumatology clinic
June 2005Mark Thomas, lead clinical pharmacist for ward services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, details his experience of setting up a supplementary prescribing rheumatology clinic
Making improvements across an SHA
June 2005Sarah Alton and Steve Morris, member and chairman, respectively, of the Faculty of Medicines Management, describe the actions taken in South Yorkshire to encourage joint working and to improve medicines management across an entire health community
What the renal-specific medicines management document has achieved
March 2005Next month sees the first anniversary of the Department of Health’s guidance on renal specific-medicines management (Renal specific management of medicines: a resource document for aspects specific to the NSF for Renal Services). In this article, Zoe Gross looks at how renal pharmacists have responded to the document over the past year and their plans for the future
Benzodiazepine withdrawal at a pharmacy technician-led clinic
March 2005Prescribing support technician Helen Williams and prescribing adviser Maxine Orwin have almost done away with pharmacists! In this article they describe a benzodiazepine withdrawal scheme in North Eastern Derbyshire Primary Care Trust, which employs pharmacy technicians
Technicians — include or exclude?
March 2005Steve Morris, chairman of the Faculty of Prescribing and Medicines Management board, asks who will support pharmacy technicians
When all pharmacists work together
December 2004In one West Midlands PCT area pharmacists from the trust, practices and the community work together. Debbie Andalo reports
Supplementation with calcium and vitamin D: Isle of Wight PCT strategy
December 2004In this article, Paul Jerram, head of medicines management, David Turner, chairman of the PCT prescribing committee, and Margaret Squibb, lead nurse Isle of Wight prescribing team, describe a local initiative to reduce hip fractures through supplementation with calcium and vitamin D
Training receptionists on repeat prescribing designed to improve safety
December 2004In this article, nurse Sam Bolankis, medicines management project facilitator at Kingston Primary Care Trust, describes a project undertaken over the past 10 months intended to improve the safety and efficiency of repeat prescribing
Scheme publicly puts to the test the industry’s confidence in its own drugs
December 2004Debbie Andalo describes a programme in which GP practices in North Staffordshire teamed up with a drug company with the aim of reducing patient risk of coronary heart disease, reducing costs to the NHS and meeting Government clinical targets
Gear up for Ask About Medicines Week
October 2004Gear up for Ask About Medicines Week 2004, which is scheduled to take place in a month’s time during the first week of November.
How to encourage the general public to take their medicines responsibly
October 2004Following the huge success of our Ask About Medicines event in 2003, a collaborative initiative between South and Central Manchester Primary Care trusts, South Manchester prescribing team is to host a further Ask About Medicines Week event on 4 November, says Ashley Harling
CPPE helps pharmacists incorporate concordance into everyday practice
October 2004The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education has been running a concordance programme to help pharmacists become more involved in patient partnership. Zoë Gross investigates
Supplementary prescribing provides a great deal of professional satisfaction
October 2004Pharmacists have come a long way in a short time since they were allowed to become supplementary prescribers, says Debbie Andalo
Pharmacists in St Helens take on new services in advance of contract deal
July 2004Pilot projects in St Helens Primary Care Trust anticipate the new pharmacy contract. Debbie Andalo investigates
How supplementary prescribing is working for pharmacists in practice
July 2004At the start of this week, 97 pharmacists had registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society as supplementary prescribers and the number is rising all the time. Clare Bellingham finds out how the early starters are getting on
Faculty goes from strength to strength
July 2004Annie Coppel, chairman of the faculty of prescribing and medicines management, College of Pharmacy Practice, describes the faculty's work
Pharmacists and GPs work together to support benzodiazepine withdrawal
March 2004Many patients want to stop taking benzodiazepines. Debbie Andalo finds out how they can be helped
Minor ailments scheme now involves over a third of Sheffield's pharmacists
March 2004
A community pharmacy minor ailments scheme in Sheffield is widening as increasing numbers of GPs opt in to the project and patients attest to its value. Naomi Kempner reports
