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Found 1,115 results
  1. News Article
    Almost half a million women will be able to get the contraceptive pill from pharmacies in England, from next month, without the need for a GP appointment. Treatments for urinary infections and other common conditions will also be on offer under the Pharmacy First scheme. NHS England said it was a safe and common-sense way of making NHS services easier for patients to use. New Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said the changes meant "more options for women when making a choice about their preferred contraception" and would free up GP appointments. From February, pharmacists who successfully apply to join the scheme will be able to offer advice and treatment, including antibiotics, for seven common conditions: sinusitis sore throat earache infected insect bites impetigo shingles urinary tract infection in women. Read full story Source: BBC News, 16 November 2023
  2. Content Article
    People with learning disabilities are more likely to be taking multiple medicines, but labels are not designed with them in mind. This article in the Pharmaceutical Journal looks at a project run by a team at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in 2021, which came from a person with learning disabilities requesting medicine labelling with “the name of the tablets in big letters so I know what tablets I’m taking."
  3. Content Article
    Homecare medicines services deliver medicines and provide medicine-related care to patients in their homes, for example, teaching them to self-inject, and delivering medicine that might need special transport. In this report, the House of Lords Public Services Committee highlights concerns about multiple reports of delays and errors by homecare providers, resulting in patients receiving care later than scheduled. The report states that this key service is not working the way it should and, in some cases, is causing patients serious harm.
  4. Content Article
    This article in the British Journal of Anaesthesia argues that the criminalisation of medical accidents leaves clinicians scared to report systemic causes and contributors to bad outcomes, removing a foundational pillar of patient safety. Looking at the case of RaDonda Vaught, a nurse who was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide for a fatal medication accident, the authors highlight the need to move away from seeing adverse incidents in healthcare as being easily avoided through greater attention, trying harder or adherence to rules. They call on healthcare organisations to learn from the case and argue that healthcare systems need to be collaboratively redesigned with a systems perspective.
  5. News Article
    Two-thirds of patient safety incidents recorded during hospital trusts’ monthly reporting period for homecare medicine provision were for services provided by the company Sciensus, an investigation by The Pharmaceutical Journal has revealed. In response to a freedom of information request sent to 131 hospital trusts in England in August 2023, 32 trusts recorded 417 patient safety incidents during their most recent monthly reporting period, which ranged from May to July 2023. Some 66% of these incidents (277) related to services delivered by homecare provider Sciensus, despite providing medicines to fewer than half (44%) of the 96,849 patients covered in the data. The findings come after the House of Lords Public Services Committee opened an inquiry into homecare medicines services in May 2023 following press reports of complaints from patient organisations and others about the service provided. The inquiry heard evidence from patient groups, regulators, homecare companies and the government during the summer and the committee will publish its report on 16 November 2023. Sciensus was previously known as Healthcare at Home and is one of the UK’s largest homecare companies. The data also uncovered that Sciensus was a poor performer on “failed” deliveries, defined as those that did not arrive on the scheduled day. Read full story Source: The Pharmaceutical Journal, 9 November 2023
  6. Content Article
    This blog calls for action on the careful review of established pain medication when a patient is admitted to hospital. Richard describes the experience of two elderly patients who suffered pain due to their long term medication being stopped when they were admitted to hospital. Pain control needs must not be ignored or undermined, there needs to be carer and patient involvement and their consent, and alternative pain control must be considered.
  7. Content Article
    Medicines optimisation looks at the value which medicines deliver, making sure they are clinically-effective and cost-effective. It is about ensuring people get the right choice of medicines, at the right time, and are engaged in the process by their clinical team.  
  8. News Article
    Hospital-acquired infections, which became substantially more common during the pandemic, have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report from a US patient safety watchdog group. It's key to note, researchers say, that infection rates before March 2020 were nothing to celebrate. On top of that moderately good news, the Leapfrog Group found other metrics that measure patient safety and satisfaction have fallen significantly, likely because of hospital staffing shortages and other pandemic-era challenges. "We're encouraged and relieved to see that infections are rapidly decreasing in hospitals following the spike during the pandemic, but we remain very concerned about a number of major problems in hospitals," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog, an independent, national nonprofit founded by large employers and other purchasers. Patient surveys following hospital visits found declines in experiences for the second year in a row in all states. Particularly significant drops were reported in “communication about medicines” and “responsiveness of hospital staff." Preventable errors have been linked to these problems. "Hospitals need to take a hard look at what they are unnecessarily continuing post-pandemic that are not helping patients," Binder said. Read full story Source: USA Today News, 6 November 2023
  9. Content Article
    This blog by the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) shares highlights of the evidence given to a House of Lord's inquiry into homecare medicines services' governance and accountability. The witness sessions heard evidence on levers for accountability, performance and safety, e-prescribing and workforce. The blog looks at challenges faced by providers, the need for improved regulation and accountability and lack of data and KPIs. It also describes a desktop investigation being undertaken by NHS England to understand the range of arrangements that are in place and how homecare medicines services are held to account.
  10. Content Article
    In this blog, Pandora Pound, Research Director at Safer Medicines Trust, highlights the patient safety issues that come when we rely on animal testing to determine the safety of new drugs for use in humans. She looks at cases where animal testing has led to the belief that medications were safe to test in human clinical trials—with sometimes tragic results. Highlighting innovative technologies that offer a more accurate picture of the safety of medications in humans, she calls on policy makers to lead a move towards human biology-based approaches.
  11. News Article
    Britain faces record shortages of medicines amid a row between drug makers and the NHS over payments. Patients face issues getting hold of drugs for epilepsy and ADHD, as well as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause. A total of 111 drugs are currently facing supply issues, according to the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA). This is the highest level on record and more than double the number of drugs facing shortages at the start of 2022. The BGMA blamed an NHS drugs levy for the supply issues, saying it was discouraging pharmaceutical companies from supplying the health service. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said pharmacists were “spending long hours in the day trying to source medicines for patients and this is on top of all the other activities they do in a busy pharmacy”. She said: “Our pharmacy teams see firsthand the anxiety and stress experienced by patients caused by medicines shortages.” Shortages have also led to more abuse and aggression towards pharmacists, she said. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Telegraph,
  12. News Article
    Drug that can halve breast cancer risk offered to 289,000 women in England Anastrozole to be made available to women who have been through the menopause and have family history of breast cancer Almost 300,000 women at higher risk of developing breast cancer are being given access to a drug that can halve their risk in a “major step forward” in the fight against the disease. An estimated 289,000 women in England who are at moderate or high risk of breast cancer will from Tuesday be able to take the tablet to try to prevent it from developing, NHS bosses said. The drug, anastrozole, is being made available to women who are in greater danger because they have been through menopause and have a major family history of Britain’s commonest form of cancer. It displays “remarkable” potential to reduce the number of people who go on to develop the disease, the head of the NHS said last night. Every year, around 56,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer – about 150 a day. While survival rates have improved, it still claims about 11,500 lives each year. “It’s fantastic that this vital risk-reducing option could now help thousands of women and their families avoid the distress of a breast cancer diagnosis,” said Amanda Pritchard, NHSC England’s chief executive. The drug will be taken as a 1mg tablet once a day for five years. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 November 2023
  13. Content Article
    UKCVFamily was set up in November 2021 to support patients in the UK who have had an adverse reaction to a Covid-19 vaccination. The group provides help and advocacy as well as raising awareness amongst healthcare professionals, the media and the Government. In this video, founder of UKCVFamily Charlet Crichton talks to us about why she established the group and describes the support it offers to patients. She outlines some of the issues people face when trying to access diagnosis and treatment, and discusses the limitations of the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme in collecting data about adverse reactions. She also describes how healthcare professionals can support people with adverse reactions by taking their concerns seriously and investigating symptoms thoroughly.
  14. Content Article
    The National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes (SIPs) collectively form the largest safety initiative in the history of the NHS. They support a culture of safety, continuous learning and sustainable improvement across the healthcare system. SIPs aim to create continuous and sustainable improvement in settings such as maternity units, emergency departments, mental health trusts, GP practices and care homes. SIPs are delivered by local healthcare providers working directly with the National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes Team and through 15 regionally-based Patient Safety Collaboratives. The five National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes (NatPatSIP) are as follows: Managing Deterioration Safety Improvement Programme (ManDetSIP) Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme (MatNeoSIP) Medicines Safety Improvement Programme (MedSIP) Adoption and Spread Safety Improvement Programme (A&S-SIP) Mental Health Safety Improvement Programme (MH-SIP) This report summarises the progress of the National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes.
  15. News Article
    A private health company paid millions by the NHS has failed to fix safety defects that led to the death of a cancer patient, the Guardian can reveal. Three patients were hospitalised and a fourth died when they were given the wrong doses of a powerful chemotherapy drug after a catastrophic IT failure at the medicine manufacturing unit of Sciensus in April this year. The incident, first revealed by the Guardian in July, prompted an investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Its inspectors found “significant deficiencies” at the Sciensus manufacturing facilities and ordered the partial suspension of its manufacturing licence. However, six months after the IT blunder, Sciensus has not fixed the problems identified by the regulator, according to people familiar with the matter. As a result, the suspension of its licence – originally due to be lifted last month – has been extended until July next year. Sciensus is the UK’s biggest provider of medicines services to NHS and private patients at home. It is contracted by the NHS and other organisations to deliver and administer medicines to more than 200,000 people with conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, dementia, HIV and cancer. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 5 November 2023
  16. Content Article
    As clinicians, our primary objective is to provide the best possible care to our patients. In this pursuit, the administration of short-term intermittent IV antibiotics plays a crucial role in combating infections and saving lives; however, there is an under recognised issue, under delivery, that results in the misuse of antibiotics and could be exacerbating antimicrobial resistance. In this blog, Claire Davies, Clinical Therapy Manager at B. Braun Medical Ltd., explores the issue of under delivery and provides essential insights for clinicians to optimise their antibiotic therapy.
  17. Content Article
    As a patient receiving treatment for a bacterial infection through an IV administration set, commonly referred to as a drip, it’s essential to know that antibiotics play a crucial role in helping you get better. In this blog, Claire Davies, Clinical Therapy Manager at B. Braun Medical Ltd., explores an under-recognised issue that can affect your treatment, the unintentional under delivery of antibiotics via your drip. Claire explains why it’s important to ensure that all of your prescribed antibiotic dose is delivered via your drip and the measures being taken by healthcare providers to ensure that this happens.
  18. Content Article
    A new report from the Public Policy Projects (PPP) calls on integrated care systems (ICSs) to harness the unique capabilities of the pharmacy sector and implement a pharmacy-led transformation of healthcare delivery. The report, Driving true value from medicines and pharmacy, is chaired by Yousaf Ahmad, ICS Chief Pharmacist and Director of Medicines Optimisation at Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System, and is the culmination of three roundtable events attended by key stakeholders from across the pharmacy sector and ICS leadership. Insight from these roundtables has also been accepted as evidence in the Health and Care Select Committee’s recent inquiry into the future of the pharmacy sector.
  19. News Article
    Treatment with isotretinoin for UK patients under 18 years of age must be approved by two prescribers in a series of regulatory changes announced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to strengthen the safe use of this drug. Isotretinoin, also known by the brand names Roaccutane and Reticutan, is an effective treatment for severe acne or when there is a risk of permanent scarring. While the drug has helped many patients with severe acne, concerns have arisen among patients and members of the public regarding suspected mental health side effects, including depression, anxiety, psychotic symptoms, and suicide, as well as sexual side effects. Following an expert safety review, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) agreed in April of this year to a number of recommendations to strengthen the safe use of the treatment. The safety review concluded that because of gaps in the available evidence, it was not possible to say that isotretinoin definitely caused many of the short-term or long-term mental health and sexual side effects. However, since the individual experiences of patients and families continued to cause concern, the experts recommended that action be taken to ensure patients were made aware of these potential risks and that they were carefully monitored during treatment. "The overall balance of risks and benefits for isotretinoin remains favourable," the authors of the report concluded, but further action should be taken to ensure patients were fully informed about isotretinoin and were effectively monitored during and after treatment, they recommended. Anna Rossiter, programme manager for Medicines for Children at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said the information for young people and their families "needs to be written in a format that is easy to understand and must set out the possible side effects that might be experienced". Read full story Source: Medscape, 1 November 2023
  20. Content Article
    This article by the charity DiaTribe looks at the impact of armed conflict and displacement on people living with diabetes. Referencing the situation facing people with diabetes in Gaza, it highlights the safety risks including lack of access to healthcare professionals, insulin and other medications and reliable food sources. As well as signposting to other resources for people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in conflict zones, the article provides advice for patients on being prepared for unexpected disasters, including ensuring they have a good knowledge of self-management, know how to safely store insulin and have a diabetes identification card. It also outlines what healthcare workers, governments and aid organisations can do to support people with diabetes living in or having fled conflict zones.
  21. Content Article
    The Strengthening Medication Safety in Long-Term Care initiative, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care was established in partnership with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada to address the medication safety-related recommendations in Justice Gillese’s Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry Report. The three-year initiative is designed to improve medication management processes, including those intended to deter and detect intentional and unintentional harm in long-term care homes across the province of Ontario. This bulletin provides an overview of the initiative and highlights selected examples of improvement projects completed in the first phase.
  22. Content Article
    Medicines talk is a website hosting a collection of stories to inspire new avenues for discussion between healthcare professionals and their patients about their medicines and care. Story 1: Life is meant for laughing Story 2: What is it all for? Story 3: 'Keeping going': Are my medicines a help or a hindrance? Story 4: I look after myself Story 5: Is there anything we can stop today? Story 6: A glimpse of the future? Story 7: Polluting the planet The stories were co-authored by Professor Deborah Swinglehurst and Dr Nina Fudge, based on research conducted between 2016 and 2021 at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The researchers studied 24 people aged 65 or older who had been prescribed ten or more different items of regular medication, through home visits, interviews and attending appointments for up to two years. They also observed and spoke with health professionals in three general practices and four community pharmacies.
  23. News Article
    People have been hospitalised after taking a fake version of the weight-loss control jab Ozempic, with 369 drugs seized by the UK’s medicines safety regulator. The fake jabs, obtained without prescription through black market suppliers, were seized by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Ozempic, the brand name for semaglutide, and demand for the medicine has contributed to shortages in the product, which is also used for people with type 2 diabetes. The watchdog said a low number of patients had been hospitalised and reported serious side effects, including hypoglycaemic shock. Others ended up in a coma, which indicates the pens may have contained insulin rather than semaglutide. It has urged the public not to buy drugs without a prescription and warned buying prescription-only medicines online “poses a direct danger to health”. Read full story Source: The Independent, 29 October 2023
  24. Content Article
    Since the 2007 landmark report on Preventing Medication Errors from the US National Academy of Medicine, effective interventions have been developed to address medication errors. Despite this, medication errors persist as the most common source of harm for patients worldwide. In this Editorial, Albert Wu looks at whether WHO's “The 5 Moments for Medication Safety” as a patient engagement tool has reached its intended audience.
  25. News Article
    Valproate-containing medicines will be dispensed in the manufacturer’s original full pack, following changes in regulations coming into effect on Wednesday 11 October 2023. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published new guidance for dispensers to support this change. Following a government consultation, this change to legislation has been made to ensure that patients always receive specific safety warnings and pictograms, including a patient card and the Patient Information Leaflet, which are contained in the manufacturer’s original full pack. These materials form a key part of the safety messaging and alert patients to the risks to the unborn baby if valproate-containing medicines are used in pregnancy. The changes follow a consultation on original pack dispensing and supply of medicines containing sodium valproate led by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), in which there was overwhelming support for the introduction of the new measures, to further support safety of valproate-containing medicines. Minister for Public Health, Maria Caulfield, said: “This safety information will help patients stay informed about risks of valproate, and I encourage all dispensers of valproate to consult the new guidance carefully. “This continues our commitment to listening and learning from the experiences of people impacted by valproate and their families and using what we hear to improve patient safety.” Read full story Source: MHRA, 11 October 2023
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