The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7253 p827
14 June 2003

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  CPD
  Modernisation
  SGM
  Titles
  The register
  Patient packs
  Good clinical practice
  Mouth ulcers
  Pregnancy
  Statin therapy
  The Society

Letters to the Editor

Patient packs

Additional measures will minimise wastage

From Mrs P. L. Sneddon, MRPharmS

From my 14 years' experience in hospital pharmacy I can only endorse the view that patient pack dispensing has to be the safest option for the future. I am disappointed that the scissors are still snipping and that change can be so slow. Cutting foil strips can result in loss of vital printed information. Sharp corners of foil can cut the fingers of pharmacy staff and patients, and cause difficulties in handling uneven portions of foil pack.

Patient pack dispensing should only operate alongside the following measures to minimise wastage:

• Seamless patient care (eg, community to hospital to community)

• Regular repeat prescription review (at least annually)

• Annual compliance check for all patients taking more than three medicines (compliance has been shown to decrease dramatically for four or more items)

Penny Sneddon
Northwich, Cheshire

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