Helping vulnerable people to manage their medicines

Academics who have developed a tool to help vulnerable people to manage their medicines have received an award from the NHS.

Dr Karen Rosenbloom from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Hertfordshire and Ruth Goldstein from the Midlands have won first prize in the regional Health and Social Care Awards awarded by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement. Their research now goes forward to the national awards final which will take place on 13 December.

The first stream of the research posed four trigger questions which helped to identify people who had problems managing their medicines.

The second phase of the work has resulted in a comprehensive assessment tool which will allow pharmacy staff to assess actual need and to make reasonable adjustments to their services. People who are unable to use their medicines can be assessed for interventions to make sure that the support they are given is right for them.

Dr. Rosenbloom commented: “I am very pleased that our research has been recognised in this way. The tool we have developed aims to encourage pharmacists to fully integrate with health and social care teams. Patients and carers are able, through the self-assessment form, to ensure that their needs are identified. This will benefit people who in the past have not been able to take or use their medicines.”