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Showing results for tags 'Medication'.
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Content ArticleIn this episode of the Driving Insights to Action podcast, patient safety advocates Soojin Jun and Sue Sheridan talk about the role of the World Health Organization's Global Patient Safety Action Plan in helping reduce medication errors in healthcare. They also share their personal experiences of family members' deaths as a result of avoidable harm in healthcare.
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Content ArticleEach year, 7,000 to 9,000 people die as a result of a medication errors in the US, and the total cost of looking after patients with medication-associated errors exceeds $40 billion. Alongside this financial cost, adverse events caused by medication errors also cause patients significant psychological and physical pain and suffering. The article aims to: identify the most common medication errors. review some of the critical points at which medication errors are most likely to occur. outline strategies to prevent medication errors occurring. summarise multidisciplinary team strategies for decreasing medication errors.
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Content ArticleThis article in DIA Global Forum examines a new collaboration between the European Commission, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) EU Member States Belgium, France, and Germany, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the recently established African Medicines Agency (AMA). The group will mobilise more than €100 million over the next five years to support the AMA and other African medicines regulatory initiatives at regional and national levels. The initiative will foster collaboration and sharing of technical expertise by European regulators with AMA. It also aims to assist African national regulatory authorities (NRAs) in achieving the minimum World Health Organization (WHO) requirements for effective regulatory oversight of quality-assured, safe, local production of medicines and vaccines.
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In this blog, Lotty Tizzard, Patient Safety Learning’s Content and Engagement Manager, looks at the safety issues faced by people with diabetes in hospital settings. Reflecting on feedback from Twitter users with diabetes, she looks at why so many people with diabetes fear having to stay in hospital, and asks what the NHS and its staff can do to make it a safer, less stressful environment. -
Content ArticleFracture liaison services (FLSs) check if people who have recently broken a bone after falling from a standing height or less (a fragility fracture) might also have osteoporosis – a disease that weakens bones. They then advise on treatments to reduce the risk of another fracture, helping to improve patient outcomes. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) estimates that at least 90,000 patients in England and Wales who should have anti-osteoporosis therapy are not receiving it. This guide by the RCP's Fracture Liaison Service Database (FLS-DB) aims to help patients and their families and carers understand what to expect following a fragility fracture. It outlines three key findings and the actions that individuals can take to ensure they receive the care and treatment they need from health services.
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Content ArticleThe Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Annual Report and Accounts for 2021/22 has now been published. It provides an overview of MHRA's performance and the events that have had most impact on the Agency during the past year.
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Content ArticleAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major challenge to the UK’s health security, and is already responsible for a significant burden of death, disability and prolonged illness globally. The growing resistance of bacteria, viruses and fungi to the drugs commonly used to treat them threatens modern medicine, and our ability to carry out standard medical procedures. This report draws on the expert input of a roundtable held by public service think tank Reform in October 2022, to assess progress made against proposals published by Reform in 2020.
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Content ArticleDrugwatch is a US consumer advocacy organisation that works with certified medical and legal experts to educate the public on dangerous drugs and medical devices and to empower consumers to assert their legal rights. In this article, Terry Turner, writer for Drugwatch, examines the history of the medical tech company C.R. Bard, which specialises in vascular, urology, surgery and oncology devices. Bard manufactures thousands of medical devices and sells them worldwide. The article looks at how the company was established and then examines several legal issues Bard has faced, including criminal charges stemming from medical fraud and accusations of selling defective devices that have killed patients or caused serious complications. The author looks at criminal charges concerning heart catheters to which Bard pleaded guilty. They also highlight problems with Bard's transvaginal and hernia mesh products and inferior vena cava (IVC) filters—devices designed to catch blood clots before they reach the lungs or the heart.
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Content ArticleWorld Pharmacist Day is an initiative by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) to promote the role that pharmacists play in improving patient safety. In this blog, Roohil Yusuf, Global Pharmacy Advisor at Save the Children, looks at the work of different partners in delivering safe pharmacy services in Afghanistan, Yemen and Sudan.
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Content ArticleThe APPG held their annual general meeting in Parliament. Baroness Cumberlege was re-elected as Co-Chair of the group and in light of Jeremy Hunt’s recent appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sharon Hodgson MP was elected as Co-Chair, having previously supported the Group as Vice-Chair over the last calendar year. Sharon is is an Officer of the APPG for Valproate and other Anti-Epileptic Drugs in Pregnancy and Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Surgical Mesh. The current serving Vice-Chairs were re-elected, with the addition of Baroness Ritchie also joining as Vice-Chair. The Group looked back on a year of significant activity and progress, including the appointment of Dr Henrietta Hughes as the first Patient Safety Commissioner in England, and agreed that a renewed focus on seeking the implementation of redress schemes should be a priority for the Group over the next year.
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Content ArticleThis survey by In-FACT (Independent Fetal Anti Convulsant Trust) is intended to provide patients, no matter what anti-epileptic drug (AED) they are prescribed or what condition the AED is prescribed for, the opportunity to report problems and worries about taking their medication during pregnancy. The results will be used to inform In-FACT's ongoing work to improve medication safety and their engagement with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
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Content ArticleClinical trials are the foundation of modern medicine, but regulators, doctors and patients often do not get to see the full picture about how safe and effective drugs and treatments are. The results of around half of all clinical trials remain hidden and there are international efforts to resolve this issue; even government agencies often lack access to the information they need to decide whether treatments are safe and effective. The paper analyses six case studies in which lack of transparency in medical research has directly harmed patients, taxpayers and/or investors. It illustrates how these harms could have been avoided through three simple solutions promoted by the AllTrials campaign: trial registration, results posting, and full disclosure of trial reports.
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Content ArticleAn HSIB guest blog post from Henrietta Hughes introducing her vision for her new role as Patient Safety Commissioner.
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Considering Valproate video (February 2022)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Medication
Sodium valproate is a medication used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder and migraines, but it can cause birth defects, learning disabilities and developmental problems in babies if taken during pregmamcy. This video by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust discusses the various effects of using valproate, including the potential harmful effects the medication can have on unborn foetuses. It features a conversation between a pharmacist and patient discussing the need for a valproate pregnancy prevention programme if the patient is to be prescribed valproate. -
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Deprescribing. 'Do I really need this medicine?'
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Medicine management
Overprescribing effects patient’s experience of, and engagement with, health and care services. It results in unnecessary costs and harm to patients. Watch this short video from Steve Turner. Reflection and key learning points based on UK laws and guidelines. -
Content ArticleAccording to a recent research study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, over a million people with diabetes in the US rationed their insulin in the past year. When people with diabetes ration their insulin, either by taking less than they need or skipping doses, it poses a serious safety risk and has a negative impact on their long-term health. This article highlights that the main cause of insulin rationing is the high cost of insulin in the US, with pharmaceutical companies increasing prices annually even though the product remains the same. It outlines the main issues caused by insulin rationing and looks at the need for reform to ensure that all Americans with diabetes are able to access adequate insulin. The author speaks to Stephanie Arceneaux who has had type 1 diabetes for 30 years. Stephanie describes her experiences of deciding whether or not to eat and therefore use more insulin, and of having to ration blood glucose test strips.
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Content ArticleInflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD), such as rheumatoid arthritis, can cause poor outcomes in pregnancy, and the health of the mother and developing foetus must be balanced when making decisions about medication. This updated guideline from the British Society for Rheumatology contains evidence and best practice for prescribing rheumatology medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It includes a table that summarises information about drug compatibility in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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Blog - Is human error a crime? (2 November 2022)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Legal matters
Martin Anderson, author of the Human Factors 101 blog, looks at the case of US nurse RaDonda Vaught, who was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and abuse of an impaired adult following a medication error that led to a patient death in 2017. He provides a timeline of the events that occurred in the run up to the criminal trial and highlights concerns that the case will set a precedent in bringing criminal charges against nurses when there is no intent to harm a patient. He then looks at the system factors that may have contributed to the medication error, asking a number of questions about the circumstances under which Vaught made the error. The blog goes on to outline the serious impact the case could have on healthcare professionals' willingness to report errors, take on complex cases and use innovative treatments—it may even put people off taking on a career in the healthcare sector in the first place. -
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BD - Voices of safety videos
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Patient stories
This series of videos produced by pharmaceutical company BD features patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals telling their stories about patient safety. Each video highlights an experience of avoidable harm, with topics including sepsis, antimicrobial resistance, medication errors and healthcare associated infections. -
Content ArticleIn this analysis, published by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, the authors look at the impact of double checking medication to reduce errors and improve patient safety.
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Content ArticleThe Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) third annual conference took place on 21 September 2022. Presentations and videos from the day are now available to view and download below. Although it tied in with the World Health Organization’s World Patient Safety Day theme of medication safety, our speakers also covered: how we can drive system level change practical sessions based on our HSIB investigation education courses maternity safety insights themed around inclusivity of care opportunities for sharing and learning from Norway’s healthcare safety investigation body, UKOM.
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Content ArticleThe Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is reviewing its approach to engagement with healthcare professionals to improve the safety of medicines and medical devices. It wants to ensure that healthcare professionals are receiving actionable information and guidance on safe use of medicines and medical devices that they can take into their working practice, providing timely advice to patients. The MHRA wants to hear from you to enable them to transform how they communicate with you and how they work together with you for the common goal of greater patient safety. The consultation closes 18 January 2023.
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Content ArticleWhen leaving hospital with medicines, there can be a lot of information to take in. This checklist designed by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) is designed to help patients and their carers use medications safely when they leave hospital. It includes: Questions to consider before you leave hospital Questions to consider when you’ve left hospital Further useful resources Medicines safety and governance pharmacist Jen Flatman has written a blog about how the checklist was developed.
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Content ArticleIn this blog, Jen Flatman, medicines safety and governance pharmacist, discusses a resource to support people to continue to use their medicines safely once they leave hospital. The medicines safety checklist was designed by patients and carers, for patients and carers, helping bridge the transition between hospital and the next destination. The points on the checklist are designed to act as a prompt, ensuring individuals are aware of key information to continue to use their medicines safely. They also act as a reminder to the reader to ask questions if they are unsure about anything.
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Content ArticleThis article* is an update from Dr Henrietta Hughes, Patient Safety Commissioner for England.
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