The Joint MO team was awarded funding from Integrated Better Care Funding to commission clinical pharmacists to undertake falls medication reviews on high risk housebound patients in their own homes across GP practices in the DDES and North Durham CCGs. The funding was allocated to give those practices who had patients with a high risk of falls some additional pharmacist support. High risk practices were identified using data showing the number of hospital admissions with falls as well as the number of osteoporotic fracture reported per practice. The work stream started in summer 2018.
Up to March 2019 the clinical pharmacists have conducted medication reviews for 1489 patients and recommended over 2,400 medication changes, with an annualised cost saving of £55,600. Interventions include reducing and stopping high risk medications, optimisation of therapy for long term conditions and onward referral to other services. Data for whether the service reduced the number of admissions from falls across the CCGs is not yet available.
The service has been successful in reducing polypharmacy and high risk medication burden in this patient cohort. Although the focus of the service was primarily on safety, the service has also demonstrated cost savings. A reduction in admissions with falls may not be evident due to the limited cohort of patients that were targeted, but data is awaited.
