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Clinical Medication Reviews
What are Clinical Medication Reviews?
Examples of how to use the golf term Albatross
- Prioritise patients with complex polypharmacy, long-term conditions, or high-risk medications for regular reviews
- Use a structured approach like the NO TEARS framework to ensure comprehensive assessment
- Involve patients in shared decision-making about their medication regimen
- Document outcomes clearly and communicate changes to all relevant healthcare professionals
- Schedule follow-up reviews to assess the impact of any medication changes
Examples of how to use the golf term Albatross
- The PCN pharmacist conducted a Clinical Medication Review for Mrs Jones, identifying two potentially interacting medications that needed adjustment.
- The GP's annual Clinical Medication Review revealed an opportunity to deprescribe a medication that was no longer beneficial for the patient.
- Following the Clinical Medication Review, the healthcare team implemented a simplified dosing regimen to improve the patient's adherence.
What does Clinical Medication Review mean?
A Clinical Medication Review is a structured, critical examination of a patient's medications conducted by a qualified healthcare professional. It aims to optimise treatment by ensuring medications are appropriate, effective, safe, and convenient for the patient. The review considers the patient's condition, preferences, and overall clinical needs, with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing medication-related problems.
Who conducts Clinical Medication Reviews in Primary Care Networks?
In Primary Care Networks, Clinical Medication Reviews are typically conducted by clinical pharmacists who are part of the PCN pharmacy team. They may also be performed by GPs, practice-based pharmacists, or other healthcare professionals with appropriate training and expertise in medication management. The PCN structure enables these professionals to work collaboratively across multiple GP practices, focusing on patients who would benefit most from medication optimisation.
How often should patients have a Clinical Medication Review?
The frequency of Clinical Medication Reviews varies depending on individual patient needs. As a general guideline, patients taking multiple medications (polypharmacy), those with complex long-term conditions, elderly patients, and those on high-risk medications should have reviews at least annually. Some high-risk patients may require more frequent reviews, such as every 3-6 months. The NHS recommends that care home residents should receive a medication review at least every six months.
What is the difference between a Clinical Medication Review and a Medication Use Review?
Clinical Medication Reviews are more comprehensive than Medication Use Reviews (MURs). A Clinical Medication Review involves access to the patient's full medical record and assesses clinical appropriateness of medications in relation to diagnoses and test results. It can result in changes to prescriptions and is typically conducted by clinical pharmacists or GPs within a PCN. MURs, which were phased out in 2021, were more focused on adherence and understanding, conducted primarily in community pharmacies without full access to clinical records.
How do Clinical Medication Reviews benefit the NHS and patients?
Clinical Medication Reviews benefit both patients and the NHS in multiple ways. For patients, they improve safety by reducing medication errors and adverse effects, enhance treatment effectiveness, and often simplify complex medication regimens to improve adherence. For the NHS, these reviews help reduce unnecessary prescribing, prevent medication-related hospital admissions, decrease medication waste, and optimise prescribing costs. They also support the NHS Long Term Plan goals of providing more personalised care and better management of long-term conditions.
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