The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7194 p521-527
20 April 2002

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Medicines management guide launched

A new guide to medicines management has been launched this week. "Modernising medicines management: a guide to achieving benefits for patients, professionals and the NHS" has been produced by the National Prescribing Centre and the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre.

The authors say that the guide aims to stimulate early involvement in the development of more effective management of medicines within the National Health Service. It shows "how pharmacists and other health professionals should get more involved in a new and co-ordinated approach to ensuring patients make the most of their medicines," they add.

The guide is in two parts. The first section provides an overview of medicines management services and is aimed at senior professionals and managers. The second part is a reference source that provides examples of good practice and details of where information can be found.

The guide suggests that organisations should carry out a baseline review of medicines management activity and includes a detailed checklist to help with this. It covers topics such as quality improvement, communication and partnership, risk management, clinical effectiveness, and education and training.

A quiz is also provided for organisations to use as a more light-hearted approach to a review. Once areas that need change have been identified, the detailed resources in the second part of the guide can be used to develop them.

The guide is being distributed to NHS organisations and professional groups this week. It is being sent to local pharmaceutical committee secretaries, prescribing advisers, hospital chief pharmacists and regional medicines information departments.

Pharmacists can obtain copies (subject to availability) by faxing requests to the NPC (fax 0151 794 8067). The guide can also be found on both the NPC and NPCRDC websites (www.npc.co.uk and www.npcrdc.man.ac.uk).