Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation Award

Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation Award
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View the 2020 winners project showcase     Download the criteria guide

The application of medicines safely which gives the patient choice and maintains their dignity and provides as much a positive experience as is possible is a corner stone of pharmacy. Ensuring that the medicines are provided with value for money in mind and is done in an efficient manner will have great benefits for the NHS. There are many initiatives which optimise the application of medicines including waste management, working with service users on their experience and identifying ineffective usage. 

This award highlights pharmacy teams and departments which driving better efficiencies and adding value to their organisations through reducing waste whilst maintaining safety. Judges want to hear about innovative projects to provide value for money services to their users.

Eligibility

Entries are open to all NHS and public sector pharmacy teams.

Ambition

  • Describe the context of operations in medicines and pharmacy, and provide a clear explanation of the dynamic between pharmacy and the rest of the organisation.
  • Discuss the improvements that were identified and how the team went about doing this
  • Show how the project plan was informed by existing best practice or evidence 
  • Provide an explanation of how you aimed to achieve improved value in pharmacy, in terms of both patient safety, efficiency improvements, and financial savings

Outcome

  • Describe the results of your initiative or innovation in relation to the overall goals.
  • Evidence any innovative practices employed
  • Discuss how the work has benefited patients, their experience and their knowledge and awareness of medicine usage
  • Provide evidence of any reduction in waste, inefficient practice, or unsafe application
  • Give details on financial savings made through more productive working, and the benefits of this to your organisation

Spread

  • Show how your team worked with other departments, teams and organisations to share best practice
  • Describe how you are working with your internal communications teams to disseminate learnings to other parts of the organisation or further afield.
  • Alternatively, provide clear evidence the work is potentially replicable and scalable.

Value

  • Clearly evidence the work has improved value in pharmacy, delivering financial savings and improved patient experience, and creating value for taxpayers and patients alike. 
  • Describe the overall value creation for the organisation in terms of financial advantages for the wider organisation, patient experience, or collaboration with other departments to improve processes or safety enhancements
  • Supply quantitative or qualitative evidence of this improved value. This could include financial records, monitoring reports or testimonials

Involvement

  • Evidence a commitment to medicines optimisation that goes far beyond the pharmacy team, and which is embedded in practice throughout a department or – preferably – an organisation
  • Demonstrate how your staff have committed to talking to patients about their medication, and to understanding patients’ experiences of taking a medication
  • Describe how you have included patient engagement and feedback in any changes

To find out more

For all enquiries, please contact Awards Support on awardssupport@hsj.co.uk