10th December 2018

Matt Hancock orders review into over-prescribing in the NHS

Doctors, pharmacists, nurses and patients will need to work together on the review and in practice to ensure people are on the right medicines, for the right amount of time…

The review will focus on patients who take multiple medicines, to ensure patients are receiving the most appropriate treatment for their needs.

The review will be led by Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Dr Keith Ridge. It will look at:

• addressing ‘problematic polypharmacy’ – where a patient is taking multiple medicines unnecessarily
• creating a more efficient handover between primary and secondary care, for example ensuring GPs have the data they need and feel able to challenge and change prescribing made in hospitals
• improving management of non-reviewed repeat prescriptions – including encouraging patients to ask questions about their treatment to ensure they don’t remain stuck on repeat prescriptions which are no longer needed
• the role of digital technologies in reducing overprescribing
• the increased role for other forms of care, including social prescribing

Read more via the link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/matt-hancock-orders-review-into-over-prescribing-in-the-nhs