Why have I been asked to book an appointment with the Clinical Pharmacist?

The purpose of the structured medication review is to help you get the best from your medication and it normally takes about 20 minutes. The reasons for this may be varied but some examples include; you could be prescribed a medicine which needs additional monitoring to ensure it is safe, or it could be you are on a lot of medicines and we need to check these are all still working well for you.

At the review, your clinical pharmacist will check that your medicines are working for you and that you are not having any problems with them. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your medicines and If any changes need to be made to your medication, your agreement will be sought before changes are made.

What does a Clinical Pharmacist do in a GP practice?

Pharmacists are experts in medicines; they are highly trained professionals who have knowledge of all things relating to medicines, from the right medicine for you and your condition to knowledge about how different medicines work in the body. In GP practice pharmacists work closely with the practice teams, including your GP and practice nurses, to answer queries about medicines and ensure medicines are being used appropriately to keep patients safe.

What is a Structured Medication Review?

During a structured medication review the Clinical Pharmacist will go through all your medication with you. They will ask you what is important to you and about how you manage your medicines normally.

They will consider things like:

• A Structured Medication Review is a private, confidential discussion between you and a clinical pharmacist or another suitably qualified healthcare professional to discuss your medicines.
• The aim of the medication review is to check that you are prescribed the most appropriate medicines and that you get the best out of those medicines.
• Some tests may need to be carried out to determine whether your medicine is working (e.g. blood pressure checks) – N.B. Physical checks will not be possible if carrying out the review remotely, but efforts will be made to arrange for these checks to be carried out if needed
• Monitoring may also be necessary if you are taking certain medication, such as, blood tests.
• You will be asked how you are getting on with your medicines, so please inform your healthcare professional of any problems you may be experiencing with your medicines.
• You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your medicines.
• If any changes need to be made to your medication, your agreement will be sought before changes are made.
• A record of the review will be documented in your medical notes.

How can I get the most from my appointment with my Clinical Pharmacist?

Think about how you use your medicines, what works well for you and what doesn’t. Think about what questions you may have about your medicines.

Always be honest with your Clinical Pharmacist, they aren’t there to judge you, just to ensure you get your best from the medicines we give you.

Make a list of all medication that you take.

This includes:

• Any medicines that are prescribed for you.
• Any medicines that you buy over the counter from the chemist or supermarket or other stores e.g. herbal medicines, vitamins etc.
• Any medicines that you no longer take. If you are not able to or haven’t managed to make a medication list, please ensure to have access to all your medicines prior to the medication review.

Make a list of questions that you may want to ask about your medicines.

Some questions that you may wish to consider:

• Why is it important to take this medicine(s)?
• When and how to take the medicine(s)?
• How long is the medicine(s) to be taken for?
• How do I know the medicine is working?
• What should I do if I have problems with the medicine?
• Are there any medicines or food that I should avoid taking whilst on these medicine(s)?
• What will happen if I miss a dose of the medicine or stop taking it?

What happens after the Structured Medication Review?

• Your regular GP will be informed of any medication changes agreed by you at the meeting.
• A summary of the meeting will be documented in your medical record.
• Any tests or referrals to other health care professionals if required will be agreed and acted upon.
• Depending on the changes made you may have a follow up appointment with the Clinical Pharmacist. If you have any concerns