Wessex AHSN. PINCER programme(s): medicines optimisation (July 2017)

Summary

Prescribing errors in general practice are an expensive, preventable cause of safety incidents, illness, hospitalisations and even deaths. Serious errors affect one in 550 prescription items, while hazardous prescribing in general practice contributes to around 1 in 25 hospital admissions. Outcomes of a trial published in the Lancet showed a reduction in error rates of up to 50% following adoption of PINCER.

PINCER is a methodology for reducing medication errors and, thereby, improving medication safety. Using clinical audit tools alongside quality improvement methodology to review groups of patients taking high risk medicines/combinations of medicines, PINCER ensures that any risks are mitigated.

Content

The web page includes:

• Video outlining the background of PINCER.
• Resources for you to access - PINCER and PRIMIS information and help.
• PINCER Myth Buster Poster.
• PINCER Myth Buster.
• Using PRIMIS tools for quality improvement.
• PINCER 1 Query Library - Overview, analysis and interpretation.