New patient guide on medication review launched
The booklet is aimed at those who have been invited for a medication
review |
“Focus on your medicines” — a guide to medicines reviews for patients — has been launched by the Medicines Partnership.
The eight-page booklet is aimed at those who have been invited for a
medication review, to help them find out about the process and prepare
for the review. It also targets patients eligible for review to encourage
them to request a consultation. Such patients would include older people
on long-term treatment and younger people with chronic conditions such
as epilepsy, schizophrenia and diabetes.
Joanne Shaw, director of the Medicines Partnership, said that the guide
has been extensively tested with patients. “Patients liked the
guide and said that it had encouraged them to come forward for review,” she
said.
The booklet was produced with guidance from an advisory group including
Arthritis Care, Age Concern, Diabetes UK, Epilepsy Action, as well as
the Department of Health and the Royal College of General Practitioners.
It follows publication of a guide for professionals on setting
up medication review services in 2002 (PJ, 23 November 2002, p737).
The booklet includes a description of a medication review, a list of
those who should be having regular reviews, a medicine reminder chart
and possible problems with medicines.
Some 300,000 copies of the booklet have been sent to primary care trusts
to be distributed to patients via GP surgeries and other health care
settings. In addition, another 100,000 copies have been sent to patients’ organisations,
some of whom are sending copies direct to patients with chronic conditions. “Many
patients on long-term medication have never been reviewed. We hope this
will encourage them to approach their GP surgery or pharmacist to ask
for a review,” Ms Shaw commented.
Pharmacists interested in receiving copies of the booklet should contact
the prescribing team at their local primary care trust.
Ms Shaw noted that a slightly longer version of the guide specifically
for people with epilepsy is in development. The partnership is also looking
to produce the guide in a format for those with reading difficulties
and for those with English as a second language. |
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