Help for hospital patients with medication queries

Mandy Mason, pharmacy technician

Patients who have been treated by The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust who have any queries about the medication given to them by the Trust, can now access a specialist medicines helpline.

Medicines information based in the pharmacy department, have set up a medicines helpline for patients who have questions about medicines dispensed to them when they are discharged from hospital or following an outpatient appointment from Pennine Acute Trust.

This follows on from a successful pilot scheme at North Manchester General Hospital which ran for six months in August 2014. The helpline has now been rolled out to include patients treated at The Royal Oldham Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital, and Rochdale Infirmary.

Sarah Boulger, medicines information pharmacist at North Manchester General Hospital, said: “When patients have medication dispensed by the pharmacy, they will be given a card promoting the medicines helpline. The card gives details of the opening hours and telephone number, along with the type of information we can provide such as:

• How and when to take medicines
• Whether you can take other medications with them, including herbal preparations
• Whether you can drink alcohol with them
• If they are safe in pregnancy
• Whether you will experience any side effects

“The medicines helpline is compliant with the national standards set out by the UK Medicines Information (UKMi) Clinical Governance working group and will help to improve medication safety and medicines compliance. It also complies with the core values, corporate priorities and objectives of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust by helping to improve the overall patient experience and safety.

“By using the helpline, patients are able to speak to an experienced clinical pharmacist or technician who has undergone specialist training to ensure they have the necessary skills to answer questions about medicines and provide high quality, evidence-based information and advice.”

The telephone line with answer phone is accessible Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm on 0161 625 8337 or 0161 627 8968 (excluding bank holidays).