PrescQIPP

PrescQIPP (QIPP Prescribing) aims "to help NHS organisations to improve medicines-related care to patients, through the provision of robust, accessible and evidence-based resources. We also provide a platform to share innovation, learning and good practice."

The PrescQIPP website includes a range of resources to support commissioners, including:

• Bulletins and briefings
• Data for benchmarking
• Webkits
• Webinars

A Medicines Optimisation Service

"The service was developed as a result of a pilot in one practice who used innovation funding to employ a pharmacist to improve their management of medicines. The idea came from the GPs who felt they were always rushed when looking at discharge medicines and this task would be more efficiently and effectively undertaken by a pharmacist. "

A Medicines Optimisation Service
Wyre Forest Clinical Commissioning Group
NICE Shared Learning example
May 2015

Read more here.

Pharmacist-led repeat prescription management

"Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) implemented a pharmacist-led repeat prescription management service (RPMS). The service was aimed at reducing medicines wastage, minimising possible harm from medicines and improving the quality of repeat prescribing."

Pharmacist-led repeat prescription management: ensuring appropriate prescribing and reducing wastage
Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group
QIPP Case Study
November 2014

Read more here.

Epilepsy emergency rescue training

"The intervention has a significant positive impact on patient safety, prescribing costs, and was anecdotally evidenced by reduction of paramedic call outs and ED admissions."

Epilepsy emergency rescue training
R Shankar, C Jory, J Ashton, B McLean, M Walker
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u208167.w3566

Read more here.

Quality improvement in resident education

"This resident physician-led quality improvement project was conducted with aims to improve the health of youth prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications by increasing physician monitoring for metabolic side effects, while simultaneously educating trainees in quality improvement methodology."

Quality improvement in resident education: a pilot project to mitigate metabolic side effects from atypical antipsychotic medications in youth
J Jeffrey
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u208804.w3544

Read more here.

Medicines Optimisation Peer Review Programme

"The aim of Medicines Optimisation Peer Reviews is to influence prescribers and their decision making processes to ensure evidence-based, safe, cost effective prescribing ensuring optimal clinical outcomes for Wigan patients."

Medicines Optimisation Peer Review Programme - engaging GP practices to deliver medicines optimisation and implement NICE guidance
Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group
NICE Shared Learning
March 2015

Read more here.

The use of an IV to PO clinical intervention form to improve antibiotic administration

"This project focused on the appropriate conversion from intravenous (IV) to oral (PO) antibiotics. The purpose of the project was to determine whether antibiotic prescribing patterns improved following the implementation of an IV to PO conversion clinical intervention form."

The use of an IV to PO clinical intervention form to improve antibiotic administration in a community based hospital
C Thompson, M Zahradnik, A Brown, DG Fleming, M Law
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u200786.w2247

Read more here.

How to improve prescription of inhaled salbutamol by providing standardised feedback on administration

"The effectiveness of inhaled salbutamol in routine care depends particularly on prescribed dosage and applied inhalation technique. To achieve maximum effectiveness and to prevent drug-related problems, prescription and administration need to work in concert."

How to improve prescription of inhaled salbutamol by providing standardised feedback on administration: a controlled intervention pilot study with follow-up
MP Neininger et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:40  doi:10.1186/s12913-015-0702-x

Read more here.

Advice from NICE on Medicines Optimisation of Key Therapies

NICE have released a number of evidence-based Key Therapeutic Topics to support medicines optimisation. Access them below:

• Antibiotic prescribing – especially broad spectrum antibiotics (KTT9)
• First-choice antidepressant use in adults with depression or generalised anxiety disorder (KTT8) 
• Low-dose antipsychotics in people with dementia (KTT7)
• Hypnotics (KTT6)
• High-dose inhaled corticosteroids in asthma (KTT5)
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (KTT4)
• Lipid-modifying drugs (KTT3)
• Renin-angiotensin system drugs (KTT2)
• Wound care products (KTT14)
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (KTT13)
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus (KTT12)
• Minocycline (KTT11)
• Three-day courses of antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infection
• Laxatives (KTT1)

Focus on: antidepressant prescribing

"These analyses suggest that there is a complex interaction of factors driving the ever-increasing prescribing of antidepressants – acting at individual level, practice level and across broader society."

Focus on: antidepressant prescribing: trends in the prescribing of antidepressants in primary care (Quality Watch)

R Spence, A Roberts, C Ariti, M Bardsley

The Health Foundation, Nuffield Trust

May 2014

Read more here.

Educational interventions to improve prescribing competency

"A review of the educational interventions designed to improve prescribing competencies will help to ensure evidence-based interventions are used to develop competent medical and nonmedical prescribers."

Educational interventions to improve prescribing competency: a systematic review
G Kamarudin, J Penm, B Chaar, R Moles
BMJ Open, 2013, 3:e003291

Read more here.

Influences on prescribing in general practice: why is there variation in prescribing practices?

"Prescribing is a core activity for general practitioners, yet significant variation in the quality of prescribing has been reported. This suggests there may be room for improvement in the application of the current best research evidence."

An ethnographic exploration of influences on prescribing in general practice: why is there variation in prescribing practices?
A Grant, F Sullivan, J Dowell
Implementation Science, 2013, 8:72

Read more here.

Proton pump inhibitors: potential cost reductions by applying prescribing guidelines

"There are opportunities for substantial cost savings in relation to proton pump inhibitors prescribing if implementation of clinical guidelines in terms of generic substitution and step-down therapy is implemented on a national basis."

Proton pump inhibitors: potential cost reductions by applying prescribing guidelines
C Cahir, T Fahey, L Tilson, C Teljeur, K Bennett
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:408

Read more here.