Enabling person-centred medication reviews for older care home residents

What we are doing?

This study aims to identify perceived barriers and enablers to achieving a person-centred approach to pharmacist-led medication reviews and explore what putting the patient at the centre of the review process means in a care home environment.  The study will use semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of stakeholders in pharmacist-led medication reviews for older care home residents and to explore the role patients’ goals and preferences regarding medication play.  Participants will include the care home pharmacists, healthcare professionals, care home staff and patients or their family representative.

Why we are doing it?

To address the complexity of medicines optimisation for older care home residents, the NHS long term plan recommended regular clinical pharmacist-led medication reviews. Although widely acknowledged that medicine optimisation should be person-centred, there remains no consensus regarding a definition for person-centred care.  Limited research exists regarding the incorporation of patients or family goals, experiences and preferences regarding medication taking into medication review decisions.  This research study will explore pharmacist, care home systems and patient and family factors that may act as barriers or enablers to achieving a person-centred approach to medication reviews undertaken by pharmacists in care homes.

What the benefits will be and to whom?

Facilitating a person-centred approach to medication reviews will support the delivery of meaningful outcomes for care home residents and their family in terms of their medication.

Recommendations will support Pharmacists and other Healthcare professionals involved in care home medication reviews to include patient’s goals and preferences in the review process.

Contact

Rachel Lewis, PhD student, SAPPHIRE research group, University of Leicester, rjl50@leicester.ac.uk