'Get it on time' campaign' - what hospitals can do
Whether you are a hospital pharmacist, doctor or nurse, there
are a number of things you can do to help people with Parkinson's
get their medication on time, every time, during their hospital
stay.
Actions to take in your hospital
- Introduce a system to alert the local Parkinson's Disease Nurse
Specialist (PDNS) when a person with Parkinson's is
admitted.
- Highlight that a patient has Parkinson's in their patient files
by using an electronic flagging system, 'Get
it on time' stickers or information sheets
- Use pill timers or alarm clocks on the ward to remind staff
about patients whose medication is due at different times to the
standard drug rounds.
- Introduce a self-administration policy for patients with
Parkinson's.
- Audit the availability of Parkinson's drugs in your hospital,
and the experiences of patients and carers when they go into
hospital.
- Tell your colleagues about the 'Get it
on time' campaign and why the timing of medication is so
important.
- Organise a training session on Parkinson's and
medication.
- Raise awareness by putting up 'Get it on
time' posters
- Talk to local people with Parkinson's about their experiences
and needs.
- Report incidents involving Parkinson's medication to the
National Patient Safety Agency
(NPSA) or to the local, multidisciplinary medication incident
reporting and monitoring system in place at your hospital.
Checklists for hospitals
We have put together some checklists for chief
pharmacists, chief nurses, neurologists and geriatricians working
in hospitals.
These checklists chart key standards and indicators and how
they relate to people with Parkinson's.
The management of Parkinson's medication is complex and the
timing of medication is crucial to patients' wellbeing. Hospital
stays can be extended if medication is not managed
appropriately.
If you can get the management of medication right for
Parkinson's patients, you are likely to have processes in
place that work for all other conditions.
Additional resources for hospitals
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