Medicines Optimisation & Polypharmacy

Question 1

What is the purpose of medicines optimisation?

Answer 1

To ensure that patients get the best possible outcomes from their medicines.

Question 2

What is the first step of medicines optimisation?

Answer 2

To ensure that the right patients get the right choice of medicine at the right time.

Question 3

What are the goals of medicines optimisation?

Answer 3

• Improve patient outcomes
• Patients take their medicines correctly
• Improve adherence
• Avoid taking unnecessary medicines
• Reduce wastage of medicines
• Improve medicines and patient safety

Question 4

What are the 7 elements of medicines optimisation?

Answer 4

1) Aim to understand the patient’s experience
2) Evidence-based choice of medicine
3) Ensure medicines use is as safe as possible
4) Make medicine optimisation part of routine practice
5) Aligned measurement and monitoring of medicines optimisation
6) Improved patient outcomes
7) Provide a patient-centred approach

Question 5

What does the RPS polypharmacy guideline recommend?

Answer 5

That systems are in place to ensure that people taking multiple medicines (particularly those taking 10+) can be identified and highlighted as requiring a comprehensive medication review with a pharmacist.

Question 6

What are the benefits of providing a polypharmacy medication review?

Answer 6

• Reduction in problematic polypharmacy
• Improved health
• Patients are more likely to take their medication
• Fewer wasted medicines