With the formation of the ICS and movement to more holistic partnership working and SMR delivery moving to the PCNs (GP DES); and a research project into the scope of the pharmacy technician, the care home medicines optimisation team for BLMK ICB re-evaluated their essential functions and scope of practice to reduce anticipated duplication and to further improve the needs of an ageing population navigating the new ICS (wider footprint) and subsequently post pandemic (restoration and recovery).
The referral pathway produced is a key document summarising the changes the care home team made with regards to evolving their role, from SMR delivery to providing clinical expert advice to the new pharmacy workforce within PCNs, producing system wide guidance and training sessions, developing a quality tool to support local authorities and quality with regards to care homes in heightened concern and working collaboratively and cohesively with partners such as the acute trusts and community providers so that care home residents have a seamless service with regards to medicines management and empowering care homes to take ownership of improving medicines use within their setting.
