HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2019: Improving Safety in Medicines Management Initiative

This project has seen the CSU’s medicines optimisation team help care home residents get an annual medication review, as recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, by a multidisciplinary team which also looks at nutrition, falls, blood monitoring and chronic disease management. Over four years 2,639 reviews have been carried out with 6,166 quality interventions such as stopping unnecessary medications, referring patients to specialists and spotting patient safety issues. A side effect has been that GP practices are now better aligned with care homes to ensure greater continuity of care for residents. Cost savings of more than £80,000 have been achieved.

Reviews are agreed well in advance, allowing family members to attend if wanted. Communication with GPs and hospitals has improved – for example, a list of appropriate information to send with residents attending hospital has been developed. Some homes have reduced requests for GP visits, knowing that a GP will be visiting once a week. Care homes are also supported over Care Quality Commission visits and adopting NICE recommendations through an annual visit.

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