Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation Award

Compassionate care: rapid access to medicines at Covid19 end of life : Medicines and Pharmacy Covid19 Cell Northwest Region

Early in the Covid19 pandemic, pharmacy leaders serving Northwest England recognised that patients at end of life (EoL) in the community, notably in care homes, required equitable access to healthcare. We pondered: how do we implement rapid access (within an hour) to EoL symptom control, for patients outside hospitals, without wasting medicines? Commissioning guidance was developed to “design-in” access to medicines for the region’s Covid19 hubs. What emerged was a successful, compassionate and sustainable patient-centred programme of EoL medicines optimisation which helped families, healthcare professionals and carers. We saved £247,115 to £9.5 million drug costs.

Supporting evidence is referenced throughout.