Patients want professionals, and the wider system, to see them first as people, then conditions, then medicines and not the other way round.
As part of its work on medicines optimisation NHS England has prepared a report, co-produced with Monmouth Partners, to present the outcomes and supporting evidence from a one-day patient engagement workshop.
The one-day workshop in Leeds brought together patients, carers, health and social care staff and a number of Subject Matter Experts to explore how to make medicines-taking a better experience. Patients presented their views to staff and discussed potential solutions. Key elements across all the groups was the desire to focus on improving dialogue, understanding and communications.
Findings will be incorporated into NHS England’s national medicines optimisation strategy. Issue 57 of their Bulletin for CCGs (17 April 2014) encourages CCGs to read the report and incorporate its findings into their own work around getting the most from medicines.
For more information, please email mark.duman@monmouthpartners.com