CQC warns NHS that it is at risk of failing to prevent harm to patients
13:51 - 10/11/2009
CQC warns NHS that it is at risk of f...
The supervisory body recently conducted a study into how well patients’ medication is managed after they leave hospital. As part of the study they visited 12 primary care trusts (PCTs) and surveyed 280 of their GP practices and several areas were found in need of improvement.
Worryingly, 81% of GP practices surveyed said information passed to them from hospitals was often incomplete, inaccurate and not shared quickly enough. Conversely, some practices were not informing hospitals about previous drug reactions or allergies when patients were admitted. These failings could result in a patient being prescribed medication which is harmful to them.
Further failures included the fact that many patients were not offered the chance to discuss their medications with their GP, updating of patient records was not always carried out by clinically trained staff, and the majority of medication-related errors and incidents were going unreported.
As a result, from April 2010, all trusts will be legally required to register with the CQC and comply with their standards for the effective management of medicines. The regulator will then take action against any trust or GP practice falling short of these standards. The CQC has also used its findings to encourage the wider NHS to check that their own procedures for managing medicines are sufficient to keep patients safe.
Cynthia Bower, CQC’s Chief Executive, said: “We know that incidents related to medication can cause people significant problems and sometimes unnecessary harm and distress. […] It is important that basic systems to share essential patient details are working effectively to get the right information to clinicians at the right time to minimise these risks. It is clear from this study that services have some way to go before this routinely happens in the way it should.”
The safe handling and administration of medicines is an important issue in healthcare, particularly since one study suggests that around 4% of all hospital admissions can be attributed to preventable medicine-related complications and that adverse drug reactions may account for over 10,000 deaths in England each year. Further to this, admissions due to preventable drug-related illnesses cost the NHS around £466 million annually.
Hodgins Smith Consulting provides training in Handling and Administration of Medicine where the course aims to provide useful knowledge of drugs for staff in the care industry and includes legislation, the effects of drugs and interactions and safe procedures for administration and disposal.
For further information, or to book a course, please call us today on 01292 678484 or e-mail info@hodginssmithcdm.co.uk
Worryingly, 81% of GP practices surveyed said information passed to them from hospitals was often incomplete, inaccurate and not shared quickly enough. Conversely, some practices were not informing hospitals about previous drug reactions or allergies when patients were admitted. These failings could result in a patient being prescribed medication which is harmful to them.
Further failures included the fact that many patients were not offered the chance to discuss their medications with their GP, updating of patient records was not always carried out by clinically trained staff, and the majority of medication-related errors and incidents were going unreported.
As a result, from April 2010, all trusts will be legally required to register with the CQC and comply with their standards for the effective management of medicines. The regulator will then take action against any trust or GP practice falling short of these standards. The CQC has also used its findings to encourage the wider NHS to check that their own procedures for managing medicines are sufficient to keep patients safe.
Cynthia Bower, CQC’s Chief Executive, said: “We know that incidents related to medication can cause people significant problems and sometimes unnecessary harm and distress. […] It is important that basic systems to share essential patient details are working effectively to get the right information to clinicians at the right time to minimise these risks. It is clear from this study that services have some way to go before this routinely happens in the way it should.”
The safe handling and administration of medicines is an important issue in healthcare, particularly since one study suggests that around 4% of all hospital admissions can be attributed to preventable medicine-related complications and that adverse drug reactions may account for over 10,000 deaths in England each year. Further to this, admissions due to preventable drug-related illnesses cost the NHS around £466 million annually.
Hodgins Smith Consulting provides training in Handling and Administration of Medicine where the course aims to provide useful knowledge of drugs for staff in the care industry and includes legislation, the effects of drugs and interactions and safe procedures for administration and disposal.
For further information, or to book a course, please call us today on 01292 678484 or e-mail info@hodginssmithcdm.co.uk
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