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 gain the optimal benefit for individual patients and for wider population groups, both now (managing illness) and for the future (primary and secondary prevention). Medicines optimisation works to 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.
Medicines Optimisation team
The Medicines Optimisation team at NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) encompasses a broad skill mix, having many years of experience and a breadth of knowledge across all aspects of pharmacy and prescribing, including commissioning, secondary care, community pharmacy, offender health, GP and dispensing practices.
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;
- and 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.
Representation on the group is comprised of leading professionals from NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, primary care, the local acute trust United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, Lincolnshire LMC and Community Pharmacy Lincolnshire.
Lincolnshire Joint Formulary
The Lincolnshire Joint Formulary (LJF) is intended for use by prescribers across the Lincolnshire Health Community. The development of the formulary has been overseen by the Prescribing and Clinical Effectiveness Forum (PACEF) working in conjunction with the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee based in United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Lincolnshire Joint Formulary content and choices are based on clinical evidence as well as consultant and GP opinion and incorporate the latest NICE guidance. The formulary aims to provide information on medicines available to prescribers in Lincolnshire, reflecting safe, evidence-based, cost-effective choices.