28 October 2010

RPS takes a lead on medicines safety

The Welsh branch of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has taken a lead role in highlighting the need for the NHS to reduce medication errors and improve patient safety.

On 22nd October 2010, the Society held an inaugural Medicines Safety Symposium held in Cardiff. Organised in association with Public Health Wales and 1000 Lives Plus, the national patient safety programme in Wales, the event brought together pharmacists and other key stakeholders to look at the contribution the pharmacy profession is making to patient safety and to identify what improvements are required.

The need for patient information to be shared effectively and for pharmacists to be closely involved in the prescribing process were just two of the key issues raised.
Speaking at the event, Dr Alan Willson, Joint Director of 1000 Lives Plus, stressed that, “Medicines management is all about working closely with colleagues to develop systems that ensure patients’ experiences of the prescribing system are safer. We need to be continually asking ourselves ‘where can we improve?’”

The importance of health literacy was also highlighted at the event by Professor Sir Mansel Aylward, Chair of Public Health Wales. It was explained that patient safety can often be improved by educating patients and helping them to understand more about their condition.

This echoed one of the key messages of the Welsh Pharmacy Board’s manifesto for the 2011 National Assembly for Wales elections which called for a pharmacy based strategy to improve health literacy.

Commenting on the symposium, Nuala Brenan, Chair of the Welsh Pharmacy Board said, “As the experts in medicine, it is vitally important that pharmacists have the opportunity to fully contribute to medicines safety. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is committed to leading on this and welcomes working with other key stakeholders to push for improvements in the NHS and in the arena of self-care.

“By working closely with 1000 Lives plus and Public Health Wales this medicines safety event is a good starting point for influencing and stimulating the changes and improvements needed in Wales.”