Medicines use review

Pharmacist-led medication reviews after hospital discharge significantly cut chances of readmission

Patients in Wales who had their medicines reviewed by a pharmacist after being discharged from hospital were significantly less likely to be readmitted within 90 days, compared to those who did not have a review, a study has found.…

Pharmacists could be expected to conduct millions of medication reviews, under NHS England plans

Pharmacists working in primary care networks will be expected to play a vital role in reviewing the medication of millions of patients with long-term conditions, under radical proposals to improve the care provided in the community published by NHS England.…

Liberal Democrats support write access to medical records for pharmacists

The Liberal Democrats have said their policy is to give pharmacists write access to patient’s medical records in advance of the general election, on 12 December 2019.…

Community pharmacy contract funding frozen at £2.59bn for next five years

Community pharmacies in England are set to receive £13bn over the next five years under the latest national contract, with a planned spend of £2.59bn each year.…

Diverging community pharmacy practice across the four UK nations

Responsibility for the health service in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has been devolved for almost two decades. With community pharmacy practice diverging across the UK, there is an opportunity for each of the four countries to compare, contrast and learn from each other. However, d…

NHS England to spot check pharmacies conducting MURs

Spot checks are to be carried out on pharmacists who claim payment for providing medicines use reviews (MUR) for patients.…

Community pharmacists can help highlight valproate risks, says PGEU

Medicines use reviews and the new medicine service provide the perfect opportunity to discuss risks of sodium valproate with younger women, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union is advising.…

Pharmacist review of asthma patients is cost-effective, Italian study finds

A study conducted in Italy has found that a medicines use review (MUR) for asthma, with a protocol adapted from the UK, had a beneficial effect on patients’ asthma control and was cost effective compared with usual care.…

A quick intervention recommendation by community pharmacists for patients using inhalers

Many pharmacists are probably busy reviewing inhaler use and technique as part of their medicines use reviews and new medicine service processes for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The long-acting beta-2 agonist formoterol is a common ingredient in step-u…

Pharmacy indemnity insurance firm appoints chief operating officer after director steps down

John Murphy, the director of the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA), which provides professional indemnity insurance to pharmacists, has retired. The move has triggered a restructure in the body including the appointment of Tom Kirkbride as the PDA’s chief operating officer. Th…