Improving medication prescribing in Lincolnshire Engagement

Improving how we prescribe medication in Lincolnshire has been identified as a priority.  The ICB is working with GPs, hospitals, community, and mental health trusts, learning disability services, social care, and the voluntary and community sector to improve the quality-of-care patients received.

In Lincolnshire 50% of patients do not take their medicines as prescribed and between 5-8% of hospital admissions are due to medication issues.  Lincolnshire is also a high prescriber and user of certain medications, when compared to the national average.

Looking at this in more detail, we identified three key areas that could vastly improve patient care and experience.

Three key areas:

• Mental health prescribing
• Use of opioids for long term pain
• Regular medication reviews for those on multiple medications (polypharmacy)

With all three projects at varying stages of implementation a survey was created to cover all three areas acknowledging that there was an overlap in many cases where one person may take a range of medication. Visit Improving medication prescribing – Lincolnshire ICB.

Outcomes

From the survey we received 104 expressions of interest to join a patient advisory group for the programme.

In addition, the ICB’s involvement champions co-produced a Patient Charter for Lincolnshire with members of the Steering Group which will be further ratified by the patient advisory group.