Funding set to close paediatric dosing knowledge gap
Adam Gault/Science Photo Library
Initiatives to cut paediatric dosing errors will be observed in
action |
Little is currently being done to study prescribing and dosing errors in children in the UK, researchers have found in the preliminary stages of a new project being funded by the Department of Health.
The COSMIC (co-operative of safety of medicines in children) study, led
by researchers from the University of Nottingham and the School of Pharmacy,
London, will investigate 20 initiatives that are being used to reduce
paediatric dosing errors in various UK hospitals. Examples of the initiatives
include electronic prescribing systems, education packages and designated “quiet
rooms” for dose calculation. Researchers will observe the schemes
in action and will interview the doctors, pharmacists and nurses involved.
Ian Wong, director of paediatric pharmacy research at the School of Pharmacy
and one of the project leaders, said: “In many cases we use a pharmacist
as our main contact at the hospital. They help to organise meetings with
the appropriate people and can orientate the study investigators with
their hospital’s initiative.”
Professor Wong added that, in looking at the use of electronic prescribing,
the investigators have encountered some interesting issues. “A
number of trusts are using electronic prescribing, but do not have the
drug calculation package in operation. They are wary that, in making
prescribers or pharmacists rely on calculation software for error prevention,
they could become ‘de-skilled’ and unable to prescribe safely
without it. We could be creating a new kind of risk, so there needs to
be a balance.”
Once the project has run its 18-month course, investigators will report
to the DoH on which of the schemes might work if introduced across the
entire NHS.
“We look forward to making recommendations on tried and tested
ways to reduce calculation errors in children’s medicines,” said
Professor Wong. |
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