Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has urged the healthcare professionals to share their views on the consultation on 'how MHRA
communicate with healthcare professionals to improve medicines and medical devices' safety'.
Through this consultation the agency wants to review its approach to engagement with healthcare professionals to improve the safety of medicines and medical devices.
"We want to ensure that healthcare professionals are receiving actionable information and guidance on safe use of medicines and medical devices that they can take
into their working practice, providing timely advice to patients," said MHRA.
"We need to improve the way we communicate with healthcare professionals. We want to hear from you to enable us to transform how we communicate with you and how we
work together on our common goal of greater patient safety."
Recognising the changing practices in healthcare, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has revised and updated its position on the separation of
prescribing and dispensing or administration of a medicine by the same healthcare professional.
It's previous guidance, published in March 2020, restricted prescribing and dispensing by the same healthcare professional only in exceptional circumstances.
The new guidance, jointly developed with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), has made prescribing and dispensing of medicines more flexible.
It clarifies that "where there is a risk assessment in place and in the best interests of the patient, the same healthcare professional can be responsible for
the prescribing and dispensing / supply / administration of medicines."
The change in the position statement follows an extensive year-long engagement exercise with medical associations, members, fellows, expert advisory groups,
patient groups and the RPS Country Boards.
Patient safety should remain a top priority in any healthcare setting. People should always receive the right advice, and pharmacists aren't 'GPs on the cheap.'
Staff should be fully trained, and medical equipment should be correctly maintained at all times. In turn, this helps create a safer environment for patients and
professionals alike. In this article, we'll discuss some of the factors that can enhance patient safety in healthcare settings.
AUTOMATION AND MONITORING
Automating processes within a facility can help streamline operations. This has the potential to reduce or eliminate human error that could result in serious injury
or death. In addition, automated systems often provide instant alerts when something goes wrong - allowing medical staff to react quickly and appropriately. Automated
solutions can help facilities achieve hand hygiene monitoring standards, and it's possible to schedule a demo and see their outcomes. They can reduce staff sick time
and HAIs, as well as Joint Commission citations and associated costs.
Monitoring helps ensure compliance with safety protocols. It's essential for improving patient safety and gaining data on all aspects of a facility's operations. It
also helps organizations track the effectiveness of their protocols and procedures over time. This helps them constantly evaluate and refine their policies, to
maximize patient safety benefits.
ADEQUATE STAFFING
In order to provide quality care, it's essential to have enough staff on hand to meet patient needs and ensure all protocols are being followed. Without this,
healthcare providers may struggle to provide prompt, efficient care - which can put patient safety at risk. Adequate staffing levels should be determined by a
variety of factors. They include patient numbers, the complexity of care required, and the size and layout of the facility.
Alitam has announced that it has merged with clinical skills training provider MHRx to upskill UK pharmacists so that its chain of community pharmacies in the
UK can diagnose and treat minor medical ailments "quickly and safely".
This is a second merger deal announced by the group that has 100-plus pharmacies, just days after its merger with Pharmadoctor to "radically transform the UK and
Ireland's community pharmacy sector" into a truly preventative healthcare system.
Following the merger with MHRx, Alitam will now be providing a career development platform for its pharmacy teams, which also include nurses and other healthcare
professionals.
MHRx's training incorporates every aspect of general practice alongside relevant topics including making appropriate patient consultation records in line with NHS
guidelines.
This, Alitam believes, will allow community pharmacies to carry out formal diagnoses, formulate differential diagnosis plans, and perform full clinical examinations.
According to the founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo, mergers such as these will lead to "a healthcare revolution predicated on building the world's first truly
preventative healthcare model".
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has produced a new resource to support pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who are providing pharmacy services to
children and young people with gender incongruence or dysphoria.
It emphasises that pharmacy teams providing such services need to adhere to the standard process of clinical assessment and care provision they have been trained
to take as healthcare professionals.
The starting point is that pharmacy professionals must provide compassionate, inclusive and person-centred care, within the current relevant legal and regulatory
context.
"It's essential that all patients have access to appropriate, high-quality and respectful healthcare, free from discrimination or bias," the GPhC noted
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has published a new professional guidance for prescribing practice on Monday (June 6) which it says will be "for the
benefit of all independent prescribers across the UK".
Based on collaboration with multi-professional stakeholders, the document is a guidance tool for prescribers wanting to expand their prescribing scope of practice.
Commissioned by the Welsh government, the document was developed through an expert group with representatives from many healthcare professions, including from Higher Education institutions, professional bodies, regulatory bodies, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, NHS Education for Scotland, Health Education
and Improvement Wales, and representatives from hospital, community and GP practice.
RPS president Claire Anderson said: "It's fantastic to see the growth in prescribing, both across the profession and more widely, to improve patient care.
There is no doubt that the pandemic has changed the way healthcare professionals work within the primary care setting. The advent of Covid-19 meant that we all
had to rapidly modify the way we supported and met the needs of patients, some of whom saw the services they usually took for granted, virtually cease overnight.
There are around 15 million people in England living with long-term health conditions including asthma. These people have the greatest healthcare needs of the whole
population with 50 per cent of all GP appointments and 70 per cent of all bed days taken by this cohort of patients, and their treatment and care absorbing 70 per
cent of acute and primary care budgets in England.
This situation isn't going to improve any time soon. In the past, most people had a single condition, today multi-morbidity is becoming the norm. At the start of the
pandemic, the Royal College of General Practice and British Medical Association issued guidance to practices on prioritising workload. This included the importance
of maintaining long-term condition reviews in asthma, COPD and diabetes, along with appropriate transition of at-risk warfarin patients. These reviews were deemed as
essential workstreams for patients considered to be at high risk.
Traditionally, the unique skills set of a pharmacist has meant that we have played a major role in supporting these patients. I work with a team of over 90 clinical
pharmacists who, in partnership with individual practices, PCNs, CCGs and STPs, help with the long-term management of people with chronic conditions. But the onset
of Covid-19 meant that we now had to plug a potential gap in service provision, and quickly.
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reminded healthcare professionals that use of systemic (oral and injectable) Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac is contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy (after 28 weeks of pregnancy).
It has advised that patients who are unsure whether pain relief medicine they are taking is an anti-inflammatory (NSAID), to speak to doctor, midwife, or pharmacist.
Some non-prescription pain relief medicines may contain more than one active drug, therefore it is important to read the box or the leaflet provided with the
medicine to see if it contains an NSAID like ibuprofen.
The use of any non-prescription medicine for the management of pain during pregnancy should be for the shortest possible time at the lowest possible dose,
suggested MHRA.
Healthcare professionals in the UK are being advised to avoid prescribing the migraine and antiseizure medication topiramate, commonly known by the brand
name Topamax, to women and girls unless they fulfil the requirements of a Pregnancy Prevention Programme.
This guidance follows new safety measures introduced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) following a major safety review, which
highlighted a potential increased risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities in children exposed to topiramate during pregnancy.
The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) evaluated studies that examined the risks associated with using topiramate during pregnancy. These studies indicated that
children born to mothers who took topiramate during pregnancy had an approximately 2 to 3 times higher risk of intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders,
and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Based on CHM's recommendations, the MHRA now advises that topiramate should not be prescribed for treating epilepsy during pregnancy unless there is no suitable
alternative.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised 'no one should stop taking valproate without advice from their healthcare
professional.'
The latest data on the use of valproate in England revealed that in the last 6 months the number of pregnant women prescribed valproate in a 6-month period has
fallen from 68 women in April to September 2018, to 17 women in October 2021 to March 2022.
In light of concerns that the current regulatory requirements for safe use are not being consistently followed, the MHRA conducted a review of the available data
and asked for advice from the independent Commission on Human Medicines (CHM).
"The CHM has advised that no one under the age of 55 should be initiated on valproate unless two specialists independently consider and document that there is no
other effective or tolerated treatment," said MHRA.
"Where possible, existing patients should be switched to another treatment unless two specialists independently consider and document that there is no other effective
or tolerated treatment or the risks do not apply."
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has launched a partnership with the charity Marie Curie to develop professional standards in end of life care for community pharmacy.
Available for pharmacy teams across the UK, the standards will provide a free, evidence-based framework to help community pharmacies self-assess and continuously improve their end of life and bereavement care for patients and carers.
They will enable community pharmacy teams to work together to develop their own practice.
RPS is setting up a professional standard steering group which will have community pharmacy experts, experts within the field of palliative and end of life care,
lay members, and healthcare professionals who interact with community pharmacy.
Elen Jones, director lead for palliative care work at RPS, said: "RPS has a long-term commitment, striving to ensure that people living with life-limiting conditions
who are approaching the end of life have timely access to medicines and clinical support from a skilled pharmacy team.
"The development of these standards, in partnership with Marie Curie, is a crucial step to support community pharmacy teams to undertake simple quality improvement
measures and build upon the care they already provide to this group of patients and carers."
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has said that multi-buy deals on paracetamol violate the existing voluntary sales guidelines.
The professional body is urging the government to pass legislation that prohibits retailers from making such offers on medicines for pain relief.
They have also sent letters to MP Maria Caulfield who is the Minister for Mental Health and Women's Health.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is requesting to take action on the legislation at the earliest.
The concern raised is that multi-buy offers such as 'buy one get one free' can encourage people to buy and store excess packs, which may lead to accidental
or impulsive overdose.
Recent NHS data sheds light on the evolving landscape of fit note certification, indicating a gradual expansion of roles beyond traditional medical
practitioners to pharmacists and nurses.
This uptake in numbers coincides with the Department of Work and Pensions's (DWP) call for evidence in relation to fit note reform which will remain open
till 8 July 2024.
According to figures published by NHS Digital, during the nine-month period from April 2023 to December 2023, pharmacists certified a significant number of
fit notes.
Approximately 1.4 per cent of fit notes of the 8 million were issued by pharmacists while the rest were issued by the GP surgeries reflecting the impact
following legislative amendments in July 2022, which extended certification authority to pharmacists, nurses, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists.
In June 2022, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) advised pharmacists not to sign fit notes where the required therapeutic, diagnostic, or examination
skills lie outside their scope of competence.
The association remarked that healthcare professionals needed mandatory training under the Health Education England before they are fit to issue fitness notes
to the public.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a class 3 medicines recall for Sildenafil 100mg Film-coated Tablets
(Strandhaven Limited T/A Somex Pharma).
Manufacturer of drug, Strandhaven Limited T/A Somex Pharma has informed the MHRA that the pack size on some cartons of the batch state 8 tablets instead
of 4 tablets. This is an error due to cartons being mixed at the printers. All cartons with batch number ET22028 contain one blister strip of 4 tablets
regardless of whether it states 8 tablets or 4 tablets on the pack.
Only the batch number ET22028 is affected. Due to the low number of complaints received, only the packs labelled as containing 8 tablets are being recalled
at this time. The batch is comprised of 60340 packs, to date 195 packs have been found to be mislabelled.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued an alert to update healthcare professionals on the shortage of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor
agonists (GLP-1 RAs), which are used to treat type 2 diabetes.
It has informed that the supply of the drugs continues to be limited, and is not expected to return to normal until at least the end of 2024.
An increase in demand for these products for licensed and off-label indications is cited as the cause of the supply issues.
"Rybelsus® (semaglutide) tablets are now available in sufficient quantities to support initiation of GLP1 RA treatment in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in
whom new initiation of GLP-1 RA therapy would be clinically appropriate," the DHSC's National Patient Safety Alert reads.
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