Structured medication reviews: origins, implementation, evidence, and prospects

Pharmacists have been employed in UK general practice for many years. Their numbers are now expanding and their roles developing. Clinical pharmacists are expected to alleviate workload pressures on GPs. Notwithstanding the COVID-19 vaccination programme, a new Structured Medication Review (SMR) ser...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stewart, Duncan, Madden, Mary, Davies, Paul, Whittlesea, Cate, McCambridge, Jim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Royal College of General Practitioners 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/6954/1/BJGP%20SMR%20Editorial.pdf
Description
Summary:Pharmacists have been employed in UK general practice for many years. Their numbers are now expanding and their roles developing. Clinical pharmacists are expected to alleviate workload pressures on GPs. Notwithstanding the COVID-19 vaccination programme, a new Structured Medication Review (SMR) service has been introduced in Primary Care Networks (PCNs). The long term drivers are clear: addressing problematic polypharmacy in the NHS, reducing avoidable hospitalisations, and delivering better value from medicines spending. SMRs are intended to improve the quality of prescribing, delivering improvements to patient care and outcomes.