HPG calls for information on error prevention initiatives
Making other health care professionals and the public more aware of the contribution that hospital pharmacists make in preventing medication errors would raise the profile of pharmacists, according to Keith Farrar, a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Hospital Pharmacist Group (HPG).
To this end, the HPG is
to put together a consultation
document for submission
by the Society to the
Department of Health and other interested bodies, such as the Royal College
of Physicians
and the National Patient Safety Agency, setting out how
hospital pharmacists are
invaluable in preventing
medication errors.
They would like hospital pharmacists to let them know the details of
pharmacy-related initiatives that are in place at their hospitals to
prevent errors. They are particularly interested in policies and initiatives
to
prevent drug-related errors potentially initiated by other health care
workers since these show how pharmacists add value to health care. Examples
include the “read aloud” initiative which has helped reduce
selection errors on wards.
Details of which products (for example, hypertonic electrolyte solutions,
anticoagulants and chemotherapeutic agents) and processes (such as prescribing
or administering medicines that require dose calculation) that hospital
pharmacists perceive to be particularly risky are also
welcome.
Information should be sent to Mr Farrar at keith.farrar@whnt.nhs.uk.
In a separate initiative, the HPG would like to receive information on
instances where hospital pharmacists have
experienced problems associated with the rules for storing large volume
injectable controlled drugs. They intend to consult with the DoH and
the Home Office on this issue.
Information should be sent to Clive Jackson, National
Prescribing Centre, at clive.jackson@npc.nhs.uk. |
