The General Medical Council has reported that one in six people on prescription medication are given incorrect doses during consultations with their GP. Common errors found include insufficient or incomplete information on the prescription along with dose and the timing of doses, calling for immediate review and monitoring of the current system.
Researchers found that 18% of patients are given at least one incorrect prescription over the course of a year with the elderly and the young the worst affected. The results of the study are deeply worrying and the fact that such dangerous mistakes are being made is of huge concern for patient safety.
Even more unsettling is the news that potentially dangerous drugs such as the blood thinner, warfarin, lack the proper monitoring to ensure patient safety. The study also found that patients are being prescribed medication they are allergic to, clearing signifying the necessity for immediate GP review and training, and that there has been a significant loss of communication between healthcare professionals.
Despite Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, claiming the government is working closely with GPs to prevent these prescription mistakes in the future, there has been no information as to how this is being addressed. This does not instil much confidence in the healthcare system or in the capability of GPs across the UK.
It is clear that the issue is multifactorial with studies reporting that patients are hesitant to query their medication in primary care, clinicians fail to communicate adequately about patient history, and pharmacists assume that information regarding medication has been provided to the patient by their GP. Hospital authorities have gone on to say that poor communication across the industry is also likely to blame for patients being hospitalised due to medication errors.
While the current system is complex and there is no one solution, it is imperative that immediate action be taken to prevent such cases in the future. Surely better IT resources and training will provide healthcare professionals with the support that is required and will no doubt aid in communication. Frequently updated guidelines, medication alerts, and patient history must be made accessible to all healthcare professionals to ensure high quality patient care and management. It is simply not good enough that such mistakes are being made and the current statistics along with associated risks for patients should be a significant warning to the UK government.
Immediate action must be taken to provide healthcare professionals with the support and training required to reduce these prescription errors and while improvements in IT systems may be on-going, there is a definite need for nation-wide installation of technological resources as they are.
Currently, there are a number of resources available that provide medical pathways and care maps for patients and healthcare professionals that include information from regularly updated medical guidelines. Surely, tools such as these are pivotal for patient care and professional management. What is now required is for government priorities to focus on funding and implementing monitoring programmes, regular training sessions in resource use, and on-going education for healthcare professionals across the UK.