The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7260 p141
2 August 2003

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Patients want more information about purpose and effects of their medicines

One third of patients think that they are not given enough information about the drugs they are taking, according to a national survey carried out by the Picker Institute Europe as part of the National Health Service patient survey programme.

Results from the survey showed that, whether treated in a hospital or general practice setting, about a third of patients did not believe they were fully informed about their drugs. In particular, 31 per cent of outpatients and 39 per cent of patients treated in emergency departments reported not getting enough information about any side effects their medicines may have.

A similar proportion (34 per cent) of patients treated by local health services wanted to know more about the side effects of their drugs. Furthermore, 15 per cent did not feel involved in the choice of their treatment, 18 per cent wanted more information on the purpose of their medicine, and 13 per cent wanted to know more about how to take their medicines.

Dr Angela Coulter, chief executive of the Picker Institute Europe, told The Journal that pharmacists need to spend more time talking to patients about their beliefs and concerns about their medicines. "Pharmacists have a potentially tremendous role in helping patients to understand their medicines and to take them more effectively," she said. Many patients are aware that pharmacists often know more than doctors about medicines, but pharmacists need to be available to answer patients' questions, she added.

The survey covers the period for 2002–03 and was conducted at acute trusts and primary care trusts in England. The results are available on the Commission for Health Improvement website.

The 2003 results come just after the Department of Health has published the results from the Picker Institute's 2001–02 acute inpatient survey. This revealed that over two-fifths of hospital patients believed they had been only partially informed about the side effects of their discharge medication or not advised of any side effects at all.

The survey was conducted among 95,000 inpatients in 176 acute hospital trusts in England. Most respondents (60 per cent) said they had completely understood the explanations given by staff of the purpose of any medicines they were required to take at home. However, one-sixth of respondents had only understood the explanation given to some extent or did not understand it at all. The remaining one-quarter of respondents either said they did not need any explanation or did not have to take any medicines after leaving hospital.