Medicines Optimisation in Special Schools

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Background

Within the collaborative commissioning structure between the NHS and Local Authorities for special schools, there has never been a formal pathway to promote or support the need for a pharmacy led medicines optimisation service in special schools. Hence, huge variations exist nationally on how this model is being delivered. Community health services play a key role in the future of health and care systems. This project will not only meet HEE business priorities but also the NHS long term plan through service transformation and redesign in the following areas:

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Pharmacy workforce development

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Advanced Practice

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Mental Health

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Learning disabilities and Autism

Project Aim

The primary aim of this project will be to promote:

Increased patient safety in schools through the development of a bespoke medicines optimisation service that allows for the:

1.1

Improvements to upskill unregistered teaching workforce in medicines administration

1.2

Reduction in Errors – e.g. omitted doses through medicines reconciliation provision

Standardisation, consistency and equality of health provision across more special schools in Kent through recruitment of an additional Pharmacy Technician to complement the new service

Development and transformational leadership opportunities for Pharmacy technicians expanding on their traditional roles through working in a relatively untapped sector i.e. special schools promoting medicines optimisation.

Project Objectives

The key medicines optimisation objectives of a specialist pharmacy service within special schools will:

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Support safe and effective management of medicines to children in school

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Support seamless transfer to adopting the new medicines management training, governance, audit and overall quality improvement package

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Introduce an incident reporting and learning culture

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Promote access to the medicines information service

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Promote self-care to support the implementation of the March 2018 NHS England guidance to CCGs which prohibits routine prescribing for OTC medicines

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Increase awareness and understanding of the recent protocols for emergency use of salbutamol inhalers with appropriate spacer devices, and adrenaline auto-injector devices.