Medicines reconciliation standards to be developed by NICE and NPSA
Advice on a standard approach to medicines reconciliation on admission to hospital is to be produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, in collaboration with the National Patient Safety Agency.
The standards will be developed from a pilot project to assess the clinical
effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of systems-based and IT-based interventions
in medicines reconciliation and will carry the same weight as other NICE
guidance.
David Cousins, head of safe medication practice at the NPSA, commented
that there are a number of techniques for medicines reconciliation currently
in operation and NICE will be looking at published, unpublished and ongoing
studies, such as the work of the Safer
Patients Initiative (Pharmaceutical
Journal, 2006;277:630).
The draft scope of the project, defining what the standards will cover
and to whom they will apply, is out
for consultation.
Guidance is expected to be issued to the NHS in
November 2007. |
Hospital
Pharmacist