Less is more: the struggle to prioritise structured medication reviews (25 July 2024)

Summary

Structured medication reviews (SMRs) were introduced to primary care teams in England in October 2020, with priority given to high-risk patients, including people diagnosed with frailty or living in care homes, people with complex polypharmacy, people taking medicines commonly associated with medication errors and anyone using potentially addictive pain management medicines. However, after NHS England removed financial incentives for Primary Care Networks to carry out SMRs in April 2023, pharmacists have been told to deprioritise SMRs. This article looks at work under way to make sure SMRs remain a priority as pharmacists aim to minimise inappropriate polypharmacy.

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