The aim of the project was to evaluate whether thickening agents/thickeners are used appropriately in care homes. The use of thickeners in care homes was audited by the Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH) Pharmacy Technicians.
The project looks to see if thickeners have been prescribed after an assessment by SLT, IDDSI terminology is recorded, thickeners are stored appropriately, two different brands of thickener are not prescribed at any one time and thickeners are administered appropriately.
A total of 220 residents prescribed a thickener were audited in 46 care homes across Frimley.
Results showed 90.9% of residents' had their thickener tins stored appropriately, a starch based thickener was prescribed alongside a gum based thickener and there was a gap in knowledge with thickener use amongst care home staff. The MOCH team carried out a number of interventions such as producing original documents, providing online training sessions and collaborating with the local SLT leads to ensure thickeners were issued from hospital with the appropriate information.
