Standards set for safe medicine use in hospitals
Standards for the safe use of medicines in hospitals in Scotland are set out in a report published last week.
“Patients and their medicines in hospital” was produced for
the Scottish Executive by the National Pharmaceutical Forum and the Scottish
Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee.
Marion Bennie, chief
pharmaceutical adviser at NHS National Services
Scotland, chaired the report’s working group.
She explained: “This report was commissioned in response to ‘The
right medicine’ firstly to produce an updated governance framework
for the use of medicines in hospital and secondly to inform future service
redesign.”
She added: “I hope the report provides a resource for NHS boards
and directors of pharmacy to drive service redesign and support the delivery
of pharmaceutical care in our hospitals.”
The report is divided into two sections — a governance framework
for existing services (see Panel) and future service design.
Governance framework
· NHS Boards must ensure that the prescribing, supply and administration
of medicines meets legislative requirements, national guidance
and best practice
· Chief pharmacists should have the authority of a clinical
director
· NHS boards should review the committees charged with the safe
and effective use of medicines
· Prescribing should be undertaken by
staff registered within the local health care system
· Core competencies for staff involved in the prescribing, supply
and administration of medicines should be produced by NHS Education
for Scotland
· NHS boards should introduce systems to record medication incidents
· NHS Scotland and the pharmaceutical industry should consider
providing more medicines in a “ready to administer” form |
The patient
is central to the recommendations for future services. The report states
that all patients should receive a comprehensive medication
review before or at admission, and that patients should be supported
to take responsibility for their medicines. Other points include the
need to implement medication self-administration schemes and that discharge
planning should involve communication with the primary care team, including
community pharmacy. The report also recommends that NHS boards should
review pharmacy supply arrangements and operating hours.
Bill Scott, chief pharmaceutical officer, Scottish Executive, commented: “Traditional
thinking about patients and their medicines in hospital is under constant
challenge and innovation. This report sets standards and recommendations
to ensure hospitals in Scotland will have systems in place fit for the
future by accommodating modern concepts, such as patient self-administration
of medicines and prescribing by an increasing range of non-medical prescribers.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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