New system launched to help measure and prevent medication errors

[lynmynott]

As part of the Health and Social Care Secretary’s plan to make the NHS the safest healthcare system in the world, the NHS will introduce a series of indicators to show whether a prescription may have contributed to a patient being admitted to hospital.

This may be good for patients who have adverse reactions to medications as presumably it will spark a yellow form immediately.

Little bit concerned about how this will affect thyroid patients who go in for palpitations not actually caused by their thyroid hormone medication.

gov.uk/government/news/new-...

[helvella Administrator]

To my mind, there are two fundamental issues of medication errors.

First, as the document says, where a medication causes a problem. Second, where lack of an appropriate medication causes a problem. Most pertinently, where withdrawal of a medication causes a problem. I would certainly argue that, in many cases, withdrawal is just as positive an act as giving.

[shaws Administrator in reply to helvella]

I agree.

[nightingale-56]

It also says nothing about generic medicine not working as well as the original Brand Named medicine, and as such, causing problems.

[UrsaP]

All of these 'new initiatives' are designed to promote what the big boys want it to. I doubt that thyroid patients will be listened to in this respect either. Instead, they will probably just report all adverse effects on T3 - (usually bodybuilding) but without defining need.

[Supul]

I think most patients would be lucky to get past the cause of entering hospital is anxiety. Not many medics would ever accept a prescribed drug caused admission.

Still, let's wait and see...

[helvella Administrator]

I don't want to be entirely negative about the ideas. Indeed, some aspects seem to have considerable potential benefit.

For example, we have discussed so many times Proton Pump Inhibitors, their inappropriate use in low stomach acid, and their impact on B12 absorption, etc. Is there any possibility this initiative will help to formally identify such issues?

[silverfox7]

I think the positive things this could bring about will be swallowed up by the fact that the NHS can't afford the time or money to carry it out.