Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Medication'.
Found 1,136 results
-
EventuntilThe International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) and Patient Academy for Innovation and Research (PAIR Academy) in partnership with Dakshama Health are launching a series of webinars to introduce the Strategic Framework of the Global Patient Safety Challenge - Medication Without Harm. The theme of the 5th webinar of the medication without harm webinar series is "Medication safety in high-risk situations”. This webinar will emphasise how to address high-risk situations and reduce the risk of medication-related harm, within WHO’s Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm, to improve medication safety. The patient safety series of webinars will focus on the strategic framework of the Global Patient Safety Challenge, which depicts the four domains of the challenge: patients and the public, health care professionals, medicine, and systems and practices of medication, and the three key action areas—namely polypharmacy, high-risk situations, and transitions of care, The series of webinars will share challenges, technical strategies, tools, and patient experiences in implementing the Strategic Framework of the Global Patient Safety Challenge to reduce medication-related harm. Register #medicationwithoutharm #medicationsafety #medications #patientafety #safemeds
-
Community Post
People with diabetes' experience of care in hospitals
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a topic in Diabetes
- (and 4 more)
These comments were made by people with diabetes in response to a Twitter thread asking "Why is a hospital stay scary if you have diabetes?" If you have diabetes, or care for someone who does, please share your experience with us by adding a comment to this community thread, “I was in ICU after a car accident—none of the staff knew how to work my CGM and/or my insulin pump. I had to manage my own care” “For me it was when I went into hospital for surgery and the nurse said 'Type 1... so do you take insulin for that?'... that's not a reassuring thing to hear minutes before you're taken into the theatre!” “Lucky to get out alive.” “DKA 10 years ago, once back in normal range the consultant insisted I didn't need anymore insulin & refused to let me have any. Obvs within 3 hours I was back in DKA, he wouldn't come see me but had a convo with my husband on the ward phone where hubs explained how T1 works.” “I've been given a full day's bolus, through my iv and then told I was wrong when I said that I only bolused when I ate. Massive hypo followed quickly. I was then told it was my fault and I should have said something.” “After being admitted as an emergency, my own insulin ran out. I was given 2 (2!) of the wrong types of insulin and told that 'it would be okay'.” “They were often confused about T2 versus T1 - lots of emphasis about low fat foods and only being allowed a low fat yoghurt for puddings even though I was on a pump! I had a bag of snacks though as it was a planned hospital stay” “After a major medical issue I was denied insulin in the ICU for over 24 hours but was told I could have some pills to treat my type 1 diabetes” “Last time I went to the hospital, they took my pump (forcefully) and refused to give it back. When I protested, they sedated me. I was in and out of sedation having a panic attack bc I couldn’t breathe. They sedated me again and put me on DKA protocol, even tho I wasn’t in DKA.” “it’s so scary right like you know that you’re the expert on your condition and your needs but that power gets totally taken away” “Handing over your care over to a group of nurses who have no idea what they are doing. It’s super scary. I hate it when they lock it all away and you can’t get to it.” “I didn’t feel safe either. Told them on a few occasions I felt ‘low’. Finally Lucozade got wheeled out but it was almost an inconvenience” “Totally understand why they don’t know much about it if it’s not their specialism BUT some are so arrogant that what they were told one afternoon 10yrs ago is the absolutely way to deal with, and that the person living with it doesn’t know what they’re talking about!” Sarcastic responses “You seem to know a lot about it!” “The neurologist told me I am a terrible diabetic.” “I never feel safe because they don’t allow me to dose my own insulin and last time dropped me from 600 to 40 in three hours and then shot me back up so fast when i specifically told them that i would go low and high from that much insulin” Report of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while in hospital, despite telling every healthcare professional she had T1. “I smuggled in my own tester and meds and took care of myself.” “I think the biggest thing for me is them not understanding insulin dose when they’re writing up your chart and how you don’t really have a “typical” insulin dose that fits neatly into their charts because of carb counting or correction doses/reduction dose. It’s strange, when I’ve had DKA admissions and I’m on the sliding scale IV it’s fine because there’s clear guidelines but for just day to day injection management it’s soooo difficult.” "Daughter had food and insulin withheld in a mental hospital." “the ward nurses didn’t even know I had T1 until the more mobile lady opposite me went and fetched a nurse who had been ignoring my call button. I was hypo and couldn’t reach my treatment.” "Taken off insulin for two days as no doctor to prescribe." “Particularly bad experience when a nurse left the glucose drip on but turned off the insulin. It terrifies me to think how bad this could have been.”- Posted
- 1 reply
-
- (and 4 more)
-
Community Post
'Drug scandal that damaged 20,000 babies'
Patient Safety Learning posted a topic in Adverse interactions
- (and 3 more)
An investigation by The Sunday Times has found that the drug sodium valproate is still being handed out to women in plain packets with the information leaflets missing, or with stickers over the warnings. Sodium valproate, has been given to women with epilepsy for decades without proper warnings, and has caused autism, learning difficulties and physical deformities in up to 20,000 babies in Britain. The government is refusing to offer any compensation to those affected by sodium valproate, despite an independent review by Baroness Cumberlege concluding in 2020 that families should be given financial redress. Read the Twitter thread from Rebecca Bromley who has been working with families who have suffered:- Posted
- 1 reply
-
- (and 3 more)
-
Community PostThe new Health and Care Bill gives NHS Digital powers to create a new ‘medicine registry’ The bill, published earlier this month, will allow NHS Digital to collect a range of information about the use of medicines and their effects in the UK and hold this data in one or more information system(s). The MHRA would be able to then use the information held in an information system to establish and maintain comprehensive UK-wide medicines registries. “This would improve post-market surveillance on the use [of] medicines. For example, where a safety issue has led to the introduction of measures to minimise risk to patients, registries would facilitate the early identification and investigation of potential noncompliance so that additional action can be taken by regulators in conjunction with health service providers at a national, local, or individual patient level.” The notes added the power is “restricted to purposes relating to the safety, quality and efficacy of human medicines and the improvement of clinical decision-making in relation to human medicines”. Anybody who inappropriately shares NHS data collected for the new registry could face a fine and a prison sentence. What does this mean for patient safety? What impact will this has on the NHS and for private providers? @Helena Gregory. @Kathryn Howard, @Kristen, @Alison Smith, @Phaeds, @CYC, @Dakota, @Steve Turner
-
Content ArticleMelissa Sheldrick is a Patient Safety Expert, Patient and Family Advisor at ISMP Canada and member of Patients for Patient Safety Canada. With a passion for improving medication safety for all, Melissa uses her unique perspective as a caregiver with lived experience to drive change and promote a culture of safety within the healthcare system. Her dedication to this work is inspired by her personal experience as a mother who lost her 8-year-old son Andrew to a medication error in 2016. This is their story.
-
Content ArticleStandardising community pharmacy information so it can be shared digitally should reduce the burden on GPs and lead to safer, more personalised care, writes Stephen Goundrey-Smith. The Professional Record Standards Body’s (PRSB) Community Pharmacy Standard enables information to be recorded in the community pharmacy and sent to the person’s GP and all the services covered by the England Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. Having access to better information will allow the community pharmacy team to take on a greater range of clinical services and reduce the burden on GPs and other parts of the health and care system. It will also raise the profile of the clinical contribution that community pharmacists make to the wider NHS.
-
Content ArticleIn this article, Sharon Hartles highlights the high-profile legal battle involving numerous Primodos-affected claimants against pharmaceutical companies and the government. The court ruled against the claimants, dismissing their claims related to hormone pregnancy tests and foetal harm. This decision led to disappointment and criticism from advocates, MPs, and academics involved in the Primodos scandal. Sharon Hartles is affiliated with the Risky Hormones research project, which is an international collaboration in partnership with patient groups. Additionally, she is a member of the Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative at the Open University. Related reading on the hub: Primodos 2023: The fight for justice continues for the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests Primodos, mesh and sodium valproate: Recommendations and the UK Government’s response Primodos: The next steps towards justice Patient Safety Spotlight interview with Marie Lyon, chair of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests
-
Content ArticleThe Department of Health and Social Care is consulting jointly with the Department of Health Northern Ireland to seek your views on amending the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to enable pharmacy technicians to supply and administer medicines using patient group directions (PGDs). This proposal supports the ambitions of NHS systems across the UK to maximise the use of the skill mix within pharmacy teams, enabling them to meet more of the health needs of their local populations. Deadline: 29 September 2023.
-
Content ArticlePeople rely on prescription medication to treat and manage their conditions and keep well. Based on analysis of public feedback from local Healthwatch and from a webform on pharmacies, this blog by Healthwatch England highlights the challenges people face when trying to get prescription medication. It outlines the following key issues: Shortages of medication Delays in getting repeat prescriptions issued Shortages of staff Closed pharmacies
-
Content Article
Patient Safety Commissioner initiatives
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in England
Patients need to be involved in all aspects of the design and delivery of healthcare and to make quality improvements that prevent harm. The Patient Safety Commissioner website shows examples of where working in partnership with patients and families, listening to patients’ voice and acting upon their concerns have made positive changes. -
Content Article
People with Parkinson’s need their medication on time every time. Yet over half of people with the condition don’t get their medications on time in hospital. This can cause stress, anxiety, immobility, severe tremors, and in some extreme cases death. Parkinson's UK are campaigning to make sure that no one with Parkinson’s is worried that they will leave hospital more unwell than when they went in. Whether you have Parkinson’s, support someone who does, work in the health and care system or campaign to improve it, you can take action to make hospitals and care homes safer. Together we can get more people to understand how big this problem is. And we can put pressure on the right people, across the UK, to change hospital policies, improve prescribing in hospitals and make sure staff are trained to give time critical medication. -
Content ArticleIn this podcast episode, Rosie, Sean, Carlton, and Emily share their experiences with Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD), a condition where individuals face persistent sexual side effects and other side effects after taking or discontinuing certain antidepressants. Throughout the conversation, they emphasise the need for increased awareness and research on PSSD, sharing personal stories to shed light on this often-overlooked condition. Despite the challenges they face, they remain determined to advocate for recognition and support for those suffering from PSSD.
- Posted
- 1 comment
-
1
-
- (and 2 more)
-
Content ArticleSexual dysfunction is a common side effect of Serotonergic antidepressants (SA) treatment, and persists in some patients despite drug discontinuation, a condition termed post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD). The risk for PSSD is unknown but is thought to be rare and difficult to assess. This study, published in the Annals of general psychiatry, aims to estimate the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) and PSSD in males treated with SAs.
-
Content ArticleA set of enduring conditions have been reported in the literature involving persistent sexual dysfunction after discontinuation of serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressants, 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors and isotretinoin. The objective of this study, published by the International Journal of Safety and Risk in Medicine, was to develop diagnostic criteria for post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) following serotonin reuptake inhibitors, post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) and post-retinoid sexual dysfunction (PRSD).
-
Content Article
This opinion piece is by Luke* who suffers from post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) after he was prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. Luke introduces the condition, drawing on the experiences that others have shared through PSSD communities, to highlight the devastating impact on patients. He calls for widespread recognition, improved risk communication and better support for sufferers. *Name has been changed- Posted
- 1 comment
-
1
-
- (and 3 more)
-
Content ArticleThis is the first in a series of podcasts NHS England has produced to mark World Patient Safety Day 2023, and celebrate its theme of ‘engaging patients for patient safety’. The series features some of the Patient Safety Partners that work with the National Patient Safety Team, who play a vital role in providing a patient’s perspective to support our work to improve patient safety. In this podcast, Graham, who became a patient safety partner in 2020, shares his insights on the benefits of involving patients and why he feels it is so important in supporting the NHS to improve patient safety, and talks about his experience as a patient safety partner, particularly working to co-design elements of the medical examiner and medicines safety improvement programmes.
-
Content ArticleThe Patient Safety Network (PSNet) produces primers which provide guidance on key topics in patient safety through context, epidemiology and relevant PSNet content. This primer focuses on nurse-related medication administration errors and highlights that despite error reduction efforts through implementing new technologies and streamlining processes, medication administration errors remain prevalent. It covers the background to the issue, low-tech and high-tech prevention strategies and the current context.
-
Content ArticleHealthcare professionals prescribing fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, delafloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin) are reminded to be alert to the risk of disabling and potentially long-lasting or irreversible side effects. Do not prescribe fluoroquinolones for non-severe or self-limiting infections, or for mild to moderate infections (such as in acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) unless other antibiotics that are commonly recommended for these infections are considered inappropriate. Fluoroquinolone treatment should be discontinued at the first signs of a serious adverse reaction, including tendon pain or inflammation.
-
Content ArticleThis review from Davis et al. summarises the biology and consequences of menopause, the role of supportive care, and the menopause-specific therapeutic options available to women.
-
Content ArticleThis debate was requested by Barbara Keeley MP of Worsley and Eccles South, following the death of Emily Chesterton, the daughter of her constituents Marion and Brendan Chesterton. Emily died in November 2022 after suffering a pulmonary embolism. She was just 30 years old when she died. The conclusion of the coroner was: “Emily Chesterton died from a pulmonary embolism, a natural cause of death. She attended her general practitioner surgery on the mornings of 31 October and 7 November 2022 with calf pain and shortness of breath, and was seen by the same physician associate on both occasions. She should have been immediately referred to a hospital emergency unit. If she had been on either occasion, the likelihood is that she would have been treated for pulmonary embolism and would have survived.”
-
Content Article
With addiction treatment programs, ensuring the safety of patients undergoing recovery is paramount. However, addressing medication safety within these programs can be a complex endeavour. As addiction treatment evolves to meet the needs of individuals on their path to recovery, it's crucial to adopt strategies that prioritise both the efficacy and safety of medications. In this blog, Dr Alexandre Kirk, Medical Director at Bright Futures Treatment Center in Florida, examines the various facets of medication safety challenges in addiction treatment programs and explores practical solutions to overcome them. -
Content ArticlePeri-operative medication safety is complex. Avoidance of medication errors is both system- and practitioner-based, and many departments within the hospital contribute to safe and effective systems. For the individual anaesthetist, drawing up, labelling and then the correct administration of medications are key components in a patient's peri-operative journey. These guidelines from the Association of Anaesthetists aim to provide pragmatic safety steps for the practitioner and other individuals within the operative environment, as well as short- to long-term goals for development of a collaborative approach to reducing errors.
-
Content ArticleThis YouTube playlist containing 12 short vlogs (each lasting 10 minutes or less) is a cut-down version of Continuing Professional Development work commissioned by the NHS in England. These are part of our patient led clinical education work and involved working with patients, carers, and relatives as equals to produce the videos. These vlogs are based on the (UK) Royal Pharmaceutical Society Competency Framework for all Prescribers, and related guidelines from professional bodies in the UK. They are designed for clinicians (across all disciplines and specialities), patients, carers, parents, relatives and the public. The short videos focus on providing refresher information, updates on hot topics and materials that can be used for reflection both individually and within clinical teams. They cover: Shared decision making Information mastery Interpretation of numerical data Root causes on medicines and prescribing errors Taking a history Basic pharmacology Risk areas and red flags Ethics, the law and prescribing Deprescribing Remote prescribing Prescribing for frailty and multimorbidity Prescription writing and safe prescribing The original materials were accompanied by live sessions, questions for reflection (some of which are included here), separate refresher questions, detailed prescribing scenarios, and competency assessments.
-
Content ArticleCoroners, who hold inquests to determine the causes of unnatural deaths in England and Wales, having recognised factors that could cause other deaths, are legally obliged to signal concerns by sending ‘Reports to Prevent Future Deaths’ (PFDs) to interested persons. This systematic review in Pharmaceutical Medicine aimed to establish whether Coroners’ concerns about medications are widely recognised. The authors found that PFDs related to medicines are not widely referred to in medical journals or UK national newspapers. By contrast, the Australian and New Zealand National Coronial Information System has contributed cases to 206 publications cited in PubMed, of which 139 are related to medicines. The research suggests that information from English and Welsh Coroners’ PFDs is under-recognised, even though it should inform public health. The results of inquiries by Coroners and medical examiners worldwide into potentially preventable deaths involving medicines should be used to strengthen the safety of medicines.
-
Content ArticleExtravasation injuries occur when some intravenous drugs leak outside the vein into the surrounding tissue which can damage the tissue and cause serious harm to the patient. This is a survey for healthcare professionals on approaches to extravasation management outside of cancer care. It is part of a campaign led by the National Infusion and Vascular Access Society (NIVAS) to improve awareness of infiltration and extravasation to reduce avoidable harm.
