The care home technicians in Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes identified a system wide issue with regards to variation in practice and management of PRN medicines in care homes, during and as we moved into pandemic recovery and restoration. This was largely identified through the care home technician visits and use of the BLMK care home medicines optimisation quality tool also recently developed.
To respond to the needs of the care homes and to ensure the care home residents' PRN medicines were managed safely, effectively and consistently across BLMK, the care home pharmacy team launched a new best practice guideline on the use of PRN medication for local adaptation to fit within individual Care Home medication policies, ensuring a person-centred approach.
The practical guidance has been requested and used as a basis for other ICS policies nationally recently and demonstrates a need for wider awareness and it has been acknowledged as a pioneering guidance. As a group, the care home team wanted to showcase and support best practice beyond BLMK ICS boundaries.
