The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7499 p505
26 April 2008

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• White Paper
• Patient records
• Electronic prescribing
• Pharmacy contract
• Community pharmacy
• Medicines use reviews
• Minor ailment scheme
• Medication errors
• English Pharmacy Board
• Council election
• Education
• Public relations
• New professional body
• The Society (2)
• Euthanasia (2)

Letters to the Editor

Medicines use reviews

Review patients with the greatest need

From Mr K. S. Donlon, MRPharmS

The gold standard outcome for a medicines use review is a patient who is compliant, concordant and adherent to a clinically and cost effective healthcare package. This is difficult to measure and no less difficult to achieve.

Those performing MURs at any level are judged on the value added by their encounter. This is not to suggest that an MUR that does not find any problems is of any less worth than one that does, but practitioners should be careful in selecting patients for review who have the greatest need.

Profiteers will maximise revenue from MURs and that will, and probably already has, debased their value. Patient selection should result from identified local healthcare needs and will be achieved by pharmacists communicating across healthcare interfaces.

Formulary adherence, incentive schemes, and implementation of local and national guidance will benefit from a unified local pharmaceutical economy.

How can any primary care organisation or other service commissioner begrudge paying for a service that improves patients’ health and supports the wider health economy?

Pharmacists must work together and, before all else, take care of their patients.

Kieron Donlon
Medicines Management Team
Halton and St Helens Primary Care Trust

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