Join the Health Innovation Network Polypharmacy Programme: Getting the balance right forthcoming webinar to hear insights and lessons from our initiative to improve access to Structured Medication Reviews for patients in seldom-heard communities and living in areas of high deprivation.

Why attend?

Evidence shows that people in areas of higher deprivation and from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities are more likely to be taking multiple medicines and experience overprescribing. Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) are recognised as the best tested intervention for reducing problematic polypharmacy. They have been shown to help reduce the number of problematic or unnecessary medicines a patient is taking. However, studies indicate that most patients do not understand what an SMR is and receive limited information to help them understand or prepare. At this webinar, you will hear insights and lessons from the Health Innovation Network (HIN) Polypharmacy Programme initiative to improve access to Structured Medication Reviews for these communities.

What will I learn?

• The importance of SMRs to reduce the increased risk of problematic polypharmacy in areas of higher deprivation and within specific population groups.

• Findings and insights from 27 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) across England involved in the programme.

• Hear from three PCNs who successfully increased engagement and reduced did not attend rates with seldom-heard patient groups, including improvements in patient experience and outcomes, SMR pathways and processes to identify and invite patients to SMRs.

• Introduction to the evidence-based co-created Health Innovation Network suite of patient resources to help patients understand and prepare for their SMR.

Speakers will include:

• Professor Tony Avery, National Clinical Director Prescribing, NHS England

• Insights and learning from the HIN study: Increasing access to SMRs in Seldom Heard Communities: Understanding the barriers and enablers to addressing Health Inequalities: Clare Howard, Clinical Lead, Health Innovation Network National Polypharmacy Programme.

• Reducing polypharmacy in patients whereby English is a second language: Charlotte Sealey, MRPharmS, Clinical Pharmacist, Millman Road and Kennet Surgery, Reading 

• Increasing access to and engagement with SMRs in our veteran community: Anita Imtiazm, MRPharmS (Advanced) Lead Clinical Pharmacist, Burnley East Primary Care Network

• Improving problematic polypharmacy outcomes in housebound patients. Zainab Ali, Lead PCN Pharmacist, Southampton West (Lordshill Health Centre)

Got a question? If you have a question about this event contact healthinnowest.polypharmacyprogramme@nhs.net