Care home project is a winner

NHS Lanarkshire scooped an award for a pioneering initiative involving pharmacists in care homes.

It won the innovation and change in pharmacy practice category at the Scottish Pharmacist Awards.

NHS Lana r k s h i r e care homes pharmacist, Francesca Aaen said: “It’s certainly an innovative approach and may be a useful example for other health boards across Scotland to follow.

“Most care homes in Lanarkshire are linked to a local GP practice which visits regularly to review prescribing for residents.

“We focused on the small number of homes that don’t have that arrangement and piloted a pharmacist prescriber service in four of them.

“Pha rma c i s t s can prescribe medication, meaning they can review current treatment and make changes without needing going back to the GP.”