Pharmacist-led type 2 diabetes reviews in GP practices improve patient outcomes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex condition to manage and results in around £23.7bn a year in associated healthcare costs.

To improve the management of T2DM, Slough Clinical Commissioning Group asked experienced pharmacists to lead a review programme in 13 GP surgeries, involving nearly 6,000 patients, between April 2013 and April 2014.

By the end of the project, the percentage of patients receiving all nine of the NICE-recommended key care processes increased from 46% to 58%. The proportion of patients above the recommended targets for glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c), blood pressure and total cholesterol was lower for all three parameters at project completion than they had been in the year preceding the project, according to the Quality and Outcomes Framework. The percentage of patients achieving targets in these parameters increased during the project but then diminished in the year after. 

Reporting in BMJ Open
^[1]
(online, 3 March 2017), the authors recommend that investment in a pharmacist-led programme will ensure that NICE-recommended key care processes are implemented, reducing morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs.