On-site pharmacists cut down medicine abuse in residential aged care services by half, a report has found.
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The Pharmacists in Residential Aged Care Facilities study - by the University of Canberra - found that on-site pharmacists in residential aged care reduced inappropriate medicine use by 50 per cent, significantly improving patient safety and reducing pressure on aged care nurses and staff.
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia national president Dr Fei Sim said the study's release would have a meaningful impact on aged care residents across Australia. This was particularly in light of the federal government introducing its On-site Pharmacists in Aged Care Program from July 1, 2023.
"Pharmacists have again shown the importance of our roles in facilitating the quality use of medicines wherever they are used," Dr Sim said.
"To have a health system that is functioning for the safety of patients, we need pharmacists wherever medicines are administered."
The society was a key collaborator on the project, helping to train pharmacists and prepare them for roles in aged care. Prior to starting in facilities, on-site pharmacists did online training in clinical topics that they were likely to encounter in aged care, such as pain management and the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
More information about the study here.
