An Update
One
of our major projects in Carers in Hertfordshire is Medicines
Matters and many of you attended our conference about the subject in
March at the Fielder Centre. The event was just a part of the project
which overall, aims to improve pharmacy support for carers.
We
are now working on many of the issues that came up at the conference as
follows:
-
We are currently working with national bodies like
Carers UK and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers to campaign for
uniformity in the colour and packaging of medicines and to look at
the role of Medicines Use Reviews ( MURs) within pharmacy.
-
There is a clear need for better information and
communication around the use of medicines and we have started trying
to address this by producing a hints and tips sheet for carers which
you will find on page x of Carewaves. We are also working with Age
Concerns BME (Black, Minority & Ethnic) worker to look at
communication difficulties.
-
We are actively working with Hertfordshire’s Primary
Care Trusts who have pledged support to look at these issues with
us.
-
We have run a series of training workshops around the
county which aimed to help carers with the safe handling and
administration of medicines.
We
have an established Medicines Matters Project Group, made up of carers
and staff, who meet every few months to direct and steer the project
forward. We would like a broad range of carers to be represented in
this group and would particularly welcome the presence of carers who are
looking after children with a disability, those caring for an older
person and those looking after someone with a substance misuse.
If
you would like to be involved in the steering group, or would like more
information on the project, please contact
your local carers centre.
|
