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A 12-month trial of digital medication devices offered to adults referred to Bridgend County Borough Council’s social services because they were struggling to safely manage their medicines has helped over 70 participants continue to take their medication independently.
The pilot used two automated medicine dispensing devices — the Pivotell Advance and YOURmeds — which prompt the user to take their medication and deliver the appropriate dose at the right time.
The dispensing devices can also alert family members, as well as the council’s alarm receiving centre, if a dose is missed, so they can follow up with timely support.
The Pivotell dispenser can be filled by pharmacists, family members or carers of the device user, while the YOURmeds device features a numbered blister pack, which is filled by community pharmacists and delivered to the patient.
Funded by the Welsh government with support from the Life Sciences Hub Wales, the dispensing devices were offered to adults referred to the council’s social services who were experiencing problems managing their medicines owing to sensory loss, cognitive impairment or dexterity issues.
In a statement published on 14 January 2026, the Welsh government said: “Four out of five people in the trial were able to use the device successfully, reducing missed doses and medication errors.”
The pilot showed the devices can “promote independence, reduce need for care packages and potentially reduce hospital admissions due to medication errors”, the statement added.
Pharmacy and social care teams have also reported that staff time had been freed up for new assessments.
Thomas Sauter, clinical lead pharmacist at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, which was involved in the pilot, said: “By working together as an integrated health and social care team, we’ve been able to support people to take their medicines independently and safely.
“That independence makes a real difference — not just to individuals, but to their families, who feel more reassured and have reduced worries about daily medication.”
Bridgend County Borough Council has now secured additional funding to ensure participants can continue to use these devices for as long as they need them and to support new users.
