Summary
Care home residents often have multiple long-term conditions and are often prescribed several different medicines (polypharmacy). NHS England plans to fund recruitment of 180 pharmacists and 60 pharmacy technicians who will work with care homes to try to reduce unnecessary medication in residents.
Recent trials in East and North Hertfordshire indicate that pharmacists working on these medication reviews can reduce levels of drug use and improve the quality of life of residents, with an annual saving in drug costs, alone, of £249 per patient.
“Studies suggest that up to one in 12 of all hospital admissions of residents is medicine-related and two-thirds of these are preventable”.
Reference
Pharmacists funded to work in care homes in England. London: BBC Health News, March 16th 2018.
This relates to:
Reference
Care home pharmacists to help cut overmedication and unnecessary hospital stays for frail older patients. [Online]: NHS England, March 16th 2018.
