WINNER
ANDREW DETERMINED THAT, IF HE COULD SYNCHRONISE PATIENTS’ MEDICATION BEFORE THEY RECEIVED THEIR FIRST SERIAL PRESCRIPTION, THIS WOULD - IN TURN - IMPROVE PATIENTS’ COMPLIANCE/ CONCORDANCE.
frustration at this situation since he was a very busy, independent businessman, who did not have time to always ‘stick to the surgery's rules around ordering times for prescriptions’. After showing some initial reluctance to have a CMS review because he felt it was ‘time consuming’ and ‘thought that was the doctor’s job anyway’, the patient agreed to have a review. He responded very positively to the review and was encouraged by the advice given especially surrounding the synchronisation of all his prescriptions so he would only need to attend the
pharmacy once every eight weeks. Andrew notified the patient’s GP of some inaccuracies in his repeat medication reordering slip and ordered 48-week prescriptions for all of his items. This took a bit of organising because of the number and variety of different items the patient was taking, but it was well worth it in the long run as the patient has subsequently commented on how excellent the service we provide is and finds it much easier to phone the pharmacy the day before he needs his items.
On another occasion, Andrew realised that one particular patient was visiting the GP surgery and the pharmacy several times each week, reporting she had either run out of her medication or had lost it. The surgery had tried to manage the patient in a variety of ways including weekly dispensing, daily dispensing and dispensing every three days. None of these approaches had, however, worked, so, following a successful period of managing other
Patients’ serial dispensing prescriptions every eight weeks, Andrew liaised with the local GP and decided to try the patient on CMS. He registered/ reviewed the patient in the pharmacy setting and emphasised to the patient how she would be the first person he had tried to manage with serial prescriptions being dispensed every two weeks. The patient was happy with the medication review provided in the pharmacy and seemed keen to try this new service. The pharmacy subsequently received serial prescriptions for 24 weeks, which were to be dispensed every two weeks. The impact of this was a dramatic reduction in the number of
ANDREW DETERMINED THAT, IF HE COULD SYNCHRONISE PATIENTS’ MEDICATION BEFORE THEY RECEIVED THEIR FIRST SERIAL PRESCRIPTION, THIS WOULD - IN TURN - IMPROVE PATIENTS’ COMPLIANCE/ CONCORDANCE.
patient contacts. This not only freed up both the GP's and pharmacist’s time but, in fact, the local GP (Beena Raschkes) was so impressed with the results that she decided to include it in the national newsletter for GPs and discussed it with other GPs at a locality event she was attending. The scenario was also included in the Community Pharmacy Newsletter for
November 2014 to try and encourage other pharmacies to embrace the possible positive impacts of CMS on overall pharmacy workload, whilst improving patient care and compliance!
As a result of this exposure, the pharmacy began to receive many enquiries from both other pharmacists and the health board as to how it was managing to perform so well with the provision of CMS! Andrew was subsequently invited to attend a CMS working group regarding promotion of CMS throughout Tayside by the local health board.
The added value which Andrew brought to the CMS service was highlighted in a testimonial which Scottish Pharmacist received from Dr Beena Raschkes.
‘Andrew Watson, our community pharmacist, has been pivotal in the success of the chronic medication service (CMS) - not only locally in the village, but nationally throughout Scotland.
Thanks to Andrew’s enthusiasm, eagerness and engagement, we were able to demonstrate the benefits of this new way of working that has benefits for the patients, the practice and the pharmacy, which have also made a significant saving of £900 in six months to the NHS prescribing budget for just one patient, who utilised this serial prescribing service with his support. Our patients genuinely welcome the service they receive from Andrew and his efficient and well- trained team of staff.
‘Andrew was instrumental in improving the pharmaceutical safety and care for a community of people
ANDREW EPITOMISES THE 21ST-CENTURY PHARMACIST: AN INTEGRAL AND IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE PRIMARY HEALTHCARE TEAM, WHO NOT ONLY LIAISES WELL, EMBRACES INITIATIVES AND CHANGE ENTHUSIASTICALLY, BUT WHO ALSO UTILISES HIS PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO MANAGE ACUTE AND LONG- TERM PHARMACEUTICAL AND HEALTH CARE IN THE COMMUNITY TO THE BENEFIT OF THE PATIENT, THE PRACTICE AND THE PHARMACY.
with very severe learning difficulties, and, in doing this, he also supported their carers and helped the practice to manage the challenges of changing complex combinations of chronic medication. He has also succeeded in persuading and supporting a significant number of patients to stop smoking. Andrew epitomises the 21st-century pharmacist: an integral and important member of the primary healthcare team, who not only liaises well, embraces initiatives and change enthusiastically, but who also utilises his professional training, knowledge and skills to manage acute and long- term pharmaceutical and health care in the community to the benefit of the patient, the practice and the pharmacy. It is a great privilege and pleasure to work with Andrew, who is so dedicated and determined to the deliver exemplary and exceptional care.’
BEENA RASCHKES, GP & JOINT CLINICAL IT LEAD NHS TAYSIDE, BRIDGE OF EARN SURGERY.
SCOTTISH PHARMACIST - 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48