The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7372 p512
22 October 2005

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· Waste disposal
· The profession
· New pharmacy contract (2)
· Medicines use reviews
· Pharmacists in the media
· Registration examination
· North East London LPC (2)
· BPC (2)
· Packaging
· Primary care

Letters to the Editor

Medicines use reviews

“Murder” to carry out

From Mr M. Goldin, MRPharmS

The penny has finally dropped for me. In my post today I received a letter from a locum agency stating that they are unable to book me unless I can furnish them with a copy of my certificate for the repeat dispensing course. Also important, they tell me, is the medicines use review (MUR) course. The medicines use review acronym should be changed to “MURDER”.

Medicines use reviews are murder to undertake properly. I did them for three months in a large London medical practice. I had at my disposal every bit of information on every patient I saw and even then it was difficult to evaluate, amend or adjust the treatment being received by the patient. At the end of the day I was completely drained both mentally and physically. It left me depressed, frustrated, angry and sometimes completely helpless. I also add that some patients had to be seen at home. In my opinion, for a substantial number of patients this is the only way that these patients can be assessed accurately.

How a community pharmacist in a high street setting is going to be able to carry out worthwhile reviews is beyond me. Trust me, I know what I am talking about.

Monty Goldin
London

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