The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7321 p573
16 October 2004

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Lessons learnt from Evercare

The 2004 British Pharmaceutical Conference and Exhibition “Medicines: from cell to society” took place at Manchester International Convention Centre from 27–29 September

BPC 2004 summary

Alaster Rutherford, head of medicines management at Bristol North Primary Care Trust, described the Evercare project, a health care improvement programme centred on the use of specialist nurses (see PJ, 15 May, p601). The model is being piloted at Bristol North PCT, as well as at nine other PCTs in England. The programme originated in the US and is an initiative of the United Health Group.

From his experience of the Evercare project in Bristol, Mr Rutherford told participants about the lessons that had been learnt for pharmacy. He said that teamworking using pharmacists’ expertise is crucial; that pharmacists should have an educational role, both with patients and with advanced nurse practitioners (APN); and that the pharmacist involved had an enhanced status within the primary care team.

Mr Rutherford said that the NHS Improvement Plan states that by 2008 there will be 3,000 community matrons. “The chief nursing officer’s bulletin in July confirmed that the role of the community matron is equivalent to the case management model currently being piloted by APNs in the Evercare model,” he said. It means the key messages from Evercare have been learnt and consolidated into future policy, he added.

“Community matrons can be any type of professional who is able to deliver the appropriate range of services,” said Clive Jackson, chief executive of the National Prescribing Centre, in response to a question from the floor. “It may be that the majority are nurses but if they are, we need to make sure they have appropriate access to advice and expertise around all levels of care packages, one of which will be medicines.” He emphasised that there will be a need for high level medicines management and pharmaceutical care advice.