Services Database Improving Medicines Management and Patient Safety at the Interface for Vulnerable Patients

The service is commissioned as a one year pilot and is available to all eligible adult patients who are registered with a GP practice in Nottingham City CCG and meet the referral criteria.  The service will be offered in eight community pharmacies in Nottingham City, one community pharmacy per Care Delivery Group (CDG).

The purpose of the scheme is to manage any changes to the medication regime in a timely manner and to facilitate the efficient transfer of patient information in relation primarily to medication changes, but also any other associated relevant healthcare issues.

The patient can be referred by the following healthcare professionals:

• GP;
• Hospital pharmacist;
• Community Matron;
• District Nurse; or
• Intermediate Care Provider.

The patient will not be able to self-refer into the service or be recruited directly by the community pharmacy.  If the pharmacist recognises that a patient may benefit from this service they must liaise with the relevant healthcare professional who is responsible for their care.  It will be the responsibility of the service provider to promote the service to GP practices and healthcare professionals to ensure referrals into the service take place.

Following referral the service provider will:

• contact the patient to arrange to meet with them, and their carer if required;
• meet with the patient, either at home or in the pharmacy, to have an in depth discussion around their medication and any issues they may have with compliance;
• identify with the patient how their medication could be managed and the most appropriate compliance aid if required;
• explain how to use the compliance aid identified and how it will benefit the patient; and
• ensure the patient is aware that the pharmacist will be dealing with their medication issues and to contact the pharmacist if they have any queries or problems.

Each community pharmacy participating in the service can only have a maximum of 40 patients signed up to the service at any one time.

Each patient will be supported by the service for a minimum of four months and a maximum of 12 months, depending on their compliance to their medicines and suitability to be discharged from the service. 

Any pharmacy staff involved in this service must have received appropriate safeguarding training.