The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective review
Background: Prescribing errors can cause significant morbidity and occur in about 5% of prescriptions in English general practices. Aim: To describe the frequency and nature of prescribing problems in a cohort of GPs-in-training to determine whether they need additional prescribing support. Design &...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Royal College of General Practitioners
2022-09-01
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| Series: | BJGP Open |
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| Online Access: | https://bjgpopen.org/content/6/3/BJGPO.2021.0231 |
| _version_ | 1811266205345906688 |
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| author | Nde-Eshimuni Salema Brian G Bell Kate Marsden Gill Gookey Glen Swanwick Mindy Bassi Rajnikant Mehta Nick Silcock Anthony J Avery Richard Knox |
| author_facet | Nde-Eshimuni Salema Brian G Bell Kate Marsden Gill Gookey Glen Swanwick Mindy Bassi Rajnikant Mehta Nick Silcock Anthony J Avery Richard Knox |
| author_sort | Nde-Eshimuni Salema |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Prescribing errors can cause significant morbidity and occur in about 5% of prescriptions in English general practices. Aim: To describe the frequency and nature of prescribing problems in a cohort of GPs-in-training to determine whether they need additional prescribing support. Design & setting: A primary care pharmacist undertook a retrospective review of prescriptions issued between 9 October 2014 and 11 March 2015 by 10 GPs in their final year of training from 10 practices in England. Method: Pre-existing standards and expert panel discussion were used to classify the appropriateness of prescribing. Data were imported into Stata (version 13) to perform descriptive analysis. An individualised report highlighting prescribing errors, suboptimal prescribing, and areas of good practice identified during the review was shared with the GPs-in-training and their trainers. This report was used to guide discussions during the GP-in-training’s feedback session. Results: A total of 1028 prescription items were reviewed from 643 consultations performed by 10 GPs-in-training. There were 92 prescribing errors (8.9%) and 360 episodes of suboptimal prescribing (35.0%). The most common types of error concerned medication dosages (n = 30, 32.6% of errors). Conclusion: Personalised review of prescribing revealed an error rate higher than recorded in a previous similar study mainly comprising GPs who had completed postgraduate training, and a substantially higher rate of suboptimal prescribing. A larger intervention study is now required to evaluate the effectiveness of receiving a personalised review of prescribing, and to assess its impact on patient safety. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:37:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1aebaa327afb43c6bc0ac95bf67676bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2398-3795 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:37:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Royal College of General Practitioners |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJGP Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-1aebaa327afb43c6bc0ac95bf67676bc2022-12-22T03:17:30ZengRoyal College of General PractitionersBJGP Open2398-37952022-09-016310.3399/BJGPO.2021.0231The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective reviewNde-Eshimuni Salema0Brian G Bell1Kate Marsden2Gill Gookey3Glen Swanwick4Mindy Bassi5Rajnikant Mehta6Nick Silcock7Anthony J Avery8Richard Knox9Division of Primary Care, School of Medicine, University Of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKDivision of Primary Care, School of Medicine, University Of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKDivision of Primary Care, School of Medicine, University Of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKNIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, University of Manchester, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, Manchester, UKDivision of Primary Care, School of Medicine, University Of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKNHS Nottingham City PCT, Nottingham, UKBirmingham Acute Care Research/Institute of Applied Health Research (BCTU), Public Health Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UKNHS Nottingham City PCT, Wollaton Park Medical Practice, Nottingham, UKDivision of Primary Care, School of Medicine, University Of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKDivision of Primary Care, School of Medicine, University Of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKBackground: Prescribing errors can cause significant morbidity and occur in about 5% of prescriptions in English general practices. Aim: To describe the frequency and nature of prescribing problems in a cohort of GPs-in-training to determine whether they need additional prescribing support. Design & setting: A primary care pharmacist undertook a retrospective review of prescriptions issued between 9 October 2014 and 11 March 2015 by 10 GPs in their final year of training from 10 practices in England. Method: Pre-existing standards and expert panel discussion were used to classify the appropriateness of prescribing. Data were imported into Stata (version 13) to perform descriptive analysis. An individualised report highlighting prescribing errors, suboptimal prescribing, and areas of good practice identified during the review was shared with the GPs-in-training and their trainers. This report was used to guide discussions during the GP-in-training’s feedback session. Results: A total of 1028 prescription items were reviewed from 643 consultations performed by 10 GPs-in-training. There were 92 prescribing errors (8.9%) and 360 episodes of suboptimal prescribing (35.0%). The most common types of error concerned medication dosages (n = 30, 32.6% of errors). Conclusion: Personalised review of prescribing revealed an error rate higher than recorded in a previous similar study mainly comprising GPs who had completed postgraduate training, and a substantially higher rate of suboptimal prescribing. A larger intervention study is now required to evaluate the effectiveness of receiving a personalised review of prescribing, and to assess its impact on patient safety.https://bjgpopen.org/content/6/3/BJGPO.2021.0231patient safetyfamily medicineprescribingprescriptionsgeneral practice |
| spellingShingle | Nde-Eshimuni Salema Brian G Bell Kate Marsden Gill Gookey Glen Swanwick Mindy Bassi Rajnikant Mehta Nick Silcock Anthony J Avery Richard Knox The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective review BJGP Open patient safety family medicine prescribing prescriptions general practice |
| title | The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective review |
| title_full | The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective review |
| title_fullStr | The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective review |
| title_short | The frequency and nature of prescribing problems by GPs-in-training (REVISiT): a retrospective review |
| title_sort | frequency and nature of prescribing problems by gps in training revisit a retrospective review |
| topic | patient safety family medicine prescribing prescriptions general practice |
| url | https://bjgpopen.org/content/6/3/BJGPO.2021.0231 |
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