Medicines Management
Issue no 5, p3
September/October 2002

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Third wave of pilots announced

A third wave of 40 pilot sites for the national medicines management collaborative was announced by Health Minister David Lammy at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester on 25 September.

"This brings to over 100 primary care trusts, over a third of the total, which will be running medicines management schemes — a step towards our goal of having a scheme in each PCT area," the Minister said.

During his speech, the Minister said that effective use of medicines was central to most patients' experiences of the NHS. The first two waves, announced in July 2001 and February 2002, now include 260 community pharmacies.

"Two-and-a-half million people now have access to better medicines management. A further nine million people have the potential to benefit from these schemes," Mr Lammy said.

Richard Seal, project team leader for the collaborative told Medicines Management that the 26 first-wave sites [Medicines Management July/August 4:4] "are now spreading what they are learning from the first GP practices to other practices in their areas and beyond". There is also a huge amount of activity going in relation to the second-wave sites.

"The third wave will be another step change for us, adding volume through a further 40 sites. We hope they will come up with further innovations themselves."

A fourth wave of pilot sites is planned for spring 2003. Further information on the medicines management programme is available on the National Prescribing Centre's website.