What is medicines optimisation?
NICE defines medicines optimisation (MO) as ‘a person-centred approach to safe and effective medicines use, to ensure people obtain the best possible outcomes from their medicines’, summarised as ‘right medicine, right patient, right time’. Medicines optimisation may be considered to be the enabling of safe, legal, evidence based, clinically and cost-effective prescribing, supply and use of medicines within the resources available.
The medicines optimisation team supports the clinical commissioning group’s aim to improve the health of the population by optimising the use of medicines through:
- promoting the safe, evidence-based and cost-effective use of medicines
- providing up to date, unbiased information about medicines, treatments and care pathways
- supporting practitioners and patients to make the best use of medicines
- minimising the harm caused by medicines
- developing local guidelines and care pathways to optimise the optimisation of conditions
- collaborating with local hospital trusts and other healthcare providers to support these aims.
Our Team
The pharmacists leading the team are senior pharmacists within the organisation at associate director level, in recognition of the importance of the MO function, the broad range of clinical and population health skills they bring to the organisation and their professional contacts across the system. Senior pharmacists within the team will take the lead in formulary and broader commissioning issues, on finance and safety. Others may have specific remits around more directly clinical issues. Technicians often lead on data analysis and supporting the implementation of systems relating to safety and efficiency. All members of the team will be involved in effective communication, answering queries, and resolving difficulties.
Contact Us
If you have a medicines optimisation query contact the NHS South East London CCG switchboard using our contact form or by calling 020 3049 9000 and asking for the relevant team.