Medicines management

Medicines management is a key priority for NHS reform.

Hospitals

NICE Guideline and medication management

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s (June 2006) recommends that people with Parkinson’s admitted to hospital or care homes should have their medication:

given at appropriate times which in some cases may mean allowing self-medication
adjusted only after discussion with a specialist in Parkinson’s

It also states, to avoid the potential for acute akinesia or neuroleptic malignant syndrome do not:

withdraw antiparkinsonian medication abruptly
allow medication to fail suddenly due to poor absorption (for example, gastroenteritis, abdominal surgery)

Visit the NICE website for more information

A Spoonful of Sugar

The Audit Commission reviewed the topic of medicines management in 2001 and published their findings in A Spoonful of Sugar.

This identified some of the key initiatives required to modernise the area of medicines management.

Medicines Management Framework

In December 2003, the Department of Health asked trusts to score themselves against the Medicines Management Framework. As well as outlining the importance of self-administration where possible for people where timing is vital (including Parkinson's), the report contains examples of good medicines management practice, specifically relating to Parkinson's.

Medicines Management Framework

Healthcare Commission - Acute hospital portfolio, medicines management

This report presents the national findings of the 2005/2006 Healthcare Commission review of medicines management within all 173 acute and specialist NHS trusts in England.

Healthcare Commission Review

In April 2006, we launched our 'Get it on time' campaign, a campaign to ensure that people with Parkinson's get their medication on time, every time, in hospitals.

Care homes

Handled with Care?

In February 2006, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) published an inspection report into medicines management in care homes in England. This found that by March 2005, 5,140 of the 11,543 homes for older people failed to meet the National Minimum Standard on medication.

The standard for medication states that: "The registered person ensures that there is a policy and staff adhere to procedures, for the receipt, recording, storage, handling, administration and disposal of medicines, and service users are able to take responsibility for their own medication if they wish, within a risk management framework. The service user, following assessment as able to self-administer medication, has a lockable space in which to store medication, to which suitably trained, designated care staff may have access with the service user’s permission".

The inspectors from CSCI found that where homes failed to meet the standards residents were given the wrong medicine or somebody else's medicines, medicines were given in the wrong dose or not at all and medication records were not being kept. Care home staff were either poorly trained or not trained at all. Given the importance of effective medicines management for people with Parkinson’s, we're seeking to ensure that standards and systems are in place to facilitate, implement and monitor good practice guidelines.