Research into clinicians managing their patients’ medicines

A new study is set to provide new insight for clinicians, such as GPs and pharmacists, to help them manage their patients’ medication more effectively.

With the over-70s and people with existing medical conditions being encouraged to ‘shield’ or self-isolate in lockdown as much as possible, there are concerns many could be avoiding seeking help from GPs and pharmacies in managing multiple medications, known as ‘polypharmacy’.  

The new research from Aston University, in collaboration with the universities of Oxford, Sheffield, Bradford and Wollongong and the NHS, reviewed existing academic literature and carried out 50 in-depth interviews with older people, their family carers and health and care practitioners.

The researchers identified five ‘key burdens’ faced by older people and their family carers. These included ‘ambiguity’, where the purpose of medicines was not explained clearly, through to ‘fragmentation’ from having to deal with lots of different health and care practitioners and ‘exclusion’ when older people and family carers were not involved in care decisions.

In response, the team proposed a five-stage framework for clinicians to help older people and family carers manage medication more effectively. It places greater emphasis on the need for regular reviews of the medications older people are taking involving patients and their carers – something that isn’t always done routinely at present.

Ian Maidment, from Aston University’s School of Life and Health Sciences, said: “The reality is that many older people are taking what amounts to a ‘shopping list’ of different medicines. They may all be necessary, but older people and their family carers have told us what a huge burden it can be to remember how and when to take them all. And that was in ordinary times without the added pressures of lockdown.

“What we’re hoping to show with this study is that practitioners need to be aware that the burden and risk with medication is often hidden. There needs to be a simpler way of identifying people who are struggling and more emphasis on fitting managing medication into older people’s day-to-day lives. When prescribing new drugs, GPs will often consider things like side effects, but they equally need to think about how someone will actually manage taking them.”

The research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research.