The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7382 p13
7 January 2006

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· Influenza pandemic
· Preregistration training
· COX-2s
· CAM
· Controlled drugs
· Medicines use reviews
· Pharmacy practice

Letters to the Editor

Medicines use reviews

MURs take more than a few minutes

From Mrs S. O. Howshall, MRPharmS

I have been conducting medicines use reviews (MURs) in an independent pharmacy for the past three months. I am a self-employed locum so patients do not know me before the appointment. The pharmacist manager gives written and verbal information to the patients, who have been referred by the GP or, more commonly, selected following primary care trust guidelines. Some patients initially decided they did not want a review because they thought it would criticise their regular pharmacist or doctor. However, they agreed once the procedure was properly explained. The new booklets produced by Medicines Partnership will help this process of understanding.

I have been conducting anonymous research after the review and so far comments have all been positive and patients have thought it has improved their knowledge or treatment, or both. The GPs, although not wanting to receive more paperwork, have acted on recommendations to the benefit of patients.

I do not understand the comment about a review only taking “a few minutes” (PJ, 10 December 2005, p712). In my experience the shortest time in which I have conducted an MUR is 20 minutes; most average 30 minutes. One of the first questions on the form asks the patient what they would like from the process. The responses have been diverse: information about a new drug on the market, side effects, discontinuing drugs, herbal products, etc. MURs cannot be done in a few minutes.

Sue Howshall
Wimborne, Dorset

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