Reducing Medicines Harm Across Transitions
Medication errors and medication related adverse events are common during transitions of care.
Why focus on this?
The impact of these events on patients and the financial burden are significant. In an effort to minimize harm caused during these types of care transitions, medicines reconciliation has been a priority within SPSP since the programme was launched in 2008.
Who are we working with?
We are working with patients and teams in acute care, community pharmacists and GP practices including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, doctors, nurses, receptionists
What are we trying to achieve?
To ensure that teams across the system have reliable processes in place for medicines reconciliation, improving the quality of information that is available and minimise harm to patients that can arise at transitions of care.
How will we do this?
Starting in acute care, focussing on admission to and discharge from hospital, improvement efforts have spread across the whole system incorporating general practice and pharmacy services in the primary care setting.
Medicines reconcilliation plays a huge role in reducing harm across transitions. In 2015 we created a Medicines Reconcilliation Care Bundle. If both primary and secondary care undertake the set of interventions listed within this care bundle, systems and processes for medicines reconciliation will be improved. In turn this will ensure safer care for patients.
Outputs
A number of improvement resources on reducing harms across transitions are available under ‘Medicines Reconciliation’ section of the tools and resources section of the website.
To support learning and sharing between boards on reducing medicines harm across transitions, we ran a WebEx series with support from all of the SPSP Programmes (Acute Adult, Mental Health, MCQIC and Primary Care).
Key points from each WebEx are provided here (PDF) (Updated February 2017).
WebEx Series Nov 2015- Feb 2017
To support learning and sharing between boards on reducing medicines harm across transitions, we ran a WebEx series with support from all of the SPSP Programmes (Acute Adult, Mental Health, MCQIC and Primary Care).
A report was produced to summarise the WebEx series on Reducing Medicines Harm Across Transitions and is available to view here. You can also download the key summary points WebEx sessions from Nov 2015 - Feb 2017.
Presentations
February 2017 - NHS Tayside (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
January 2017 - NHS Dumfries and Galloway (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
December 2016 - NHS Lothian (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
November 2016 - NHS Highland (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
October 2016 - NHS Island Boards (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
September 2016 - NHS Lanarkshire (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
August 2016 - NHS Borders (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
July 2016 - NHS Forth Valley (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
June 2016 - NHS Grampian (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
May 2016 - NHS Fife (PDF)
April 2016 - NHS Ayrshire & Arran (PDF) - For a recording of the WebEx click here
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March 2016 - NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (PDF)
December 2015 - NHS Tayside (PDF)
December 2015 - NHS Lothian (PDF)
November 2015 - NHS Dumfries & Galloway (PDF)
November 2015 - NHS Highland (PDF)