People are supported to order and use their medicines more effectively with less waste. There is increased safety reporting from community pharmacies. Key Action Action summary Outcome Required *Lead Responsibility Timescale 2. Optimising medicines use Quality assured integrated pharmacy services should be delivered which help to address acute and chronic needs relating to medicines use and adherence, support better health outcomes, reduce harm, waste and unplanned demand on other health and social care services. To include: Chronic services for safer transitions of care, MURs for long term conditions, adherence support and repeat dispensing. Acute Services for out of hours and emergency access to medicines, including palliative care. People receive support to achieve improved medicines related outcomes and adherence. Safe and timely transitions of care are supported by community pharmacists. Fewer visits to GP, Out of Hours and Emergency Departments for medicines supply issues. Fewer unplanned admissions to hospital in people with long term conditions for medicines related factors. Fewer wasted medicines. HSCB From April 2015 Key Action Action summary Outcome Required *Lead Responsibility Timescale 3.Ensuring timely access to safe, quality assured medicines Regional guidelines on handling medicines shortages in community pharmacies should be developed which includes management of clinical consequences People have access to safe, high quality medicines in the community HSCB By March 2016
5.Delivering public health services In line with need community pharmacies should have an increased role in the provision of quality assured public health services. People have greater access to quality assured public health services in their communities. HSCB/PHA By March 2017 Key Action Action summary Outcome Required *Lead Responsibility Timescale 6.Improving sign posting and community engagement Arrangements to improve links and referral pathways between community pharmacies and other statutory, voluntary and community sector service providers should be implemented People will have better access to information about public health services in their local area. HSCB/PHA By March 2017 Chapter 3 Strategic Goal To provide improved access to clinical expertise and interventions closer to home by making the best use of pharmacists working together with/alongside other healthcare professionals. Key Actions 7. Enhanced delivery of clinical expertise 8. Developing revised service models Indicators Reduced unplanned admissions, readmissions and length of stay in hospital Reduced attendances at GP Out of Hours and Emergency Departments Increased levels of medicines optimisation service delivery Improved compliance with NI Medicines Formulary
KEY ACTIONS – STRATEGY REFERENCES KEY ACTION 1 Delivering a pharmacist led risk stratified approach to the provision of appropriate support, information and advice with supply of medicines (Chapter 1) A risk stratification process should be part of SOPs in all community pharmacies to identify patients who require specific information at the point of supply. Patients/carers should receive appropriate advice and information when prescription medicines are supplied, asked if they have any questions about their medicines, advised of changes to the presentation of their medicines and receive reassurance that the efficacy is the same. All patients should be asked if they require all their medicines when repeat prescriptions are collected from the community pharmacy. Community pharmacies should be included in existing medicines governance arrangements and have an active role in incident reporting. KEY ACTION 2 Optimising medicines use Safer Transitions Service (Chapter 1) A pharmacy service should be delivered linked to the Integrated Medicines Management Service in Trusts to support improved medicines management during transitions supported by arrangements for information sharing and access to ECR. Acute Medicines Services (Chapter 1) Effective arrangements for out of hours/emergency access to medicines, including arrangements for palliative and end of life care should be put in place. To include the delivery of an acute service for out of hours access to medicines during 2015/16.
The role of the pharmacists in supporting the safe and effective use of medicines should be promoted to raise public awareness of the risks associated with medicines use. (Chapter 1) The public health role of pharmacies should be promoted to increase public awareness. (Chapter 2) KEY ACTION 14 Establishing the evidence base for pharmacy services (Chapter 3) Develop a regional evidence base for pharmacy role/input to the support and treatment of patients to inform development of care pathways. A network of community pharmacies should be established to participate in research. KEY ACTION 15 Introducing legislative changes (Chapter 4) Legislation should be introduced to enable e-prescribing in primary care and e-claiming in community pharmacies. Work to enable electronic transmission of prescriptions from GPs to community pharmacies should be completed. Take forward the necessary legislative changes to support revised service models when agreed. KEY ACTION 16 Supporting change through professional standards and guidelines