Medicines Optimisation and Prescribing
Medicines are the most commonly used medical intervention, making up approximately 10% of the total NHS spend each year.
Medicines optimisation describes a variety of activities that ensure medicines are used in the best way, to best support individuals and wider population groups, both now (managing illness) and for the future (primary and secondary prevention).
The Medicines optimisation team make sure people receive safe and effective (both clinically effective and well tolerated by the patient) medicines in a way that also ensures best value for money for the NHS. It aims to put the patients at the centre of their care and encourages shared decision-making about the medicines they use, both prescribed and non-prescribed.
The goal of Medicines Optimisation is to help patients to:
- improve their outcomes
- take their medicines correctly
- avoid taking unnecessary medicines
- reduce wastage of medicines
- improve medicines safety
This is achieved through:
- Providing up-to-date information and guidance about medicines and treatments
- Advocating safe, evidence-based and cost-effective use of medicines
- Developing local guidelines and care pathways to optimise the use of medicines and management of conditions
- Working collaboratively with local hospitals, GP practices, community pharmacies and system health partners to support Medicines Optimisation
Lincolnshire Prescribing and Clinical Effectiveness Forum (PACEF)
Lincolnshire Prescribing and Clinical Effectiveness Forum (PACEF) was founded in 2007. It is the current strategic advisory network to NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). PACEF has the responsibility for ensuring the cost-effective use of medicines and other healthcare interventions and their functional integration into healthcare delivery across Lincolnshire.