Medication in care homes Social Care Workforce Research Unit and CPA King’s College London 26 May 2011 Des Kelly OBE Executive Director National Care Forum

Developing an integrated approach to medication safety in care homes Why this project now? What care home staff say? Aims and intended outcomes Our approach and task groups Success criteria

1. Why this project now?

Why this project now? Following up CHUMS findings and recommendations On-going quality concerns Diversity of the sector and of advice Lack of detailed practical standards

2. What care home staff say? The time it takes to manage and administer medicines Receiving and logging medication Interruptions Understanding the purpose of medicines

What care home staff say? Reviews Disposal and spoilt medicines Dealing with refusals Understanding side effects

What care home staff say? Drugs trolleys Locums and out of hours support Variable views about MDS Self medication

What care home staff say? Communication … between the care home, G.P.s, nurses and pharmacists

3. Aims and intended outcomes Sector-led Multi-disciplinary: G.P.s; community pharmacists; care home managers and frontline staff Practical Cost effective

4. Our approach Open Space principles of passion and responsibility Without passion nobody is interested Without responsibility nothing gets done

Our approach 5 initial ‘Task Groups’: Improving multidisciplinary communications and relationships Ensuring resident voice, choice and control Leadership to change culture and practice Staff development and support Standards and guidance

Our approach Link to Health Foundation/Age UK work Mapping related activity Collecting information on resources and best practice The role of technology

5. Success criteria Reducing the number of adverse events Reduction in incidence of A&E attendances, admissions and readmissions from care homes Reduction in avoidable deaths Reduction in incidence of complications such as infections

Success criteria Improvements in the level of support to care homes by G.P.s and pharmacists Improved levels of awareness and competence by staff in care homes Greater engagement by residents and their families Improved quality of care and support

And finally… “People who think they can and people who think they can’t are both right” Henry Ford