Reducing prescription errors

Abstract

The EQUIP study, highlighted in your Dec 12 Editorial (p 1945),1The LancetHow to reduce prescribing errors.Lancet. 2009; 374: 1945Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (17) Google Scholar suggests that around 9% of UK hospital prescriptions contain errors—a finding that gives us all cause for concern. There can be no doubt that these are challenging times for prescribers, young and old: available drug treatments have increased in number and complexity, workloads are heavier, and expectations are greater. The UK's Medical Schools Council and the British Pharmacological Society have debated the role of education and training in the past, and we are committed to collaborating in an effort to tackle this problem.First, we are working jointly with the Department of Health to develop a national e-learning portal, known as Prescribe, to support all those who are trying to develop the knowledge and skills required to prescribe in the health service. Second, we have worked together with other stakeholders, including the General Medical Council, to agree on the standards of competence required of all newly qualified doctors.2Medical Schools CouncilOutcomes of the Medical Schools Council Safe Prescribing Working Group.http://www.medschools.ac.uk/Publications/Pages/Safe-Prescribing-Working-Group-Outcomes.aspxGoogle Scholar Finally, we are working to develop a national prescribing assessment that will demonstrate that these standards have been achieved before graduation. Each of these developments will help to address the recommendations made by the authors of EQUIP.We are also in agreement that the problems require solutions beyond education. In particular, we must seek to provide a safer environment in which prescribers can work. Both organisations have previously advocated the adoption of a national prescribing form and we urge the Department of Health to introduce one as soon as possible.We declare that we have no conflicts of interest. The EQUIP study, highlighted in your Dec 12 Editorial (p 1945),1The LancetHow to reduce prescribing errors.Lancet. 2009; 374: 1945Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (17) Google Scholar suggests that around 9% of UK hospital prescriptions contain errors—a finding that gives us all cause for concern. There can be no doubt that these are challenging times for prescribers, young and old: available drug treatments have increased in number and complexity, workloads are heavier, and expectations are greater. The UK's Medical Schools Council and the British Pharmacological Society have debated the role of education and training in the past, and we are committed to collaborating in an effort to tackle this problem. First, we are working jointly with the Department of Health to develop a national e-learning portal, known as Prescribe, to support all those who are trying to develop the knowledge and skills required to prescribe in the health service. Second, we have worked together with other stakeholders, including the General Medical Council, to agree on the standards of competence required of all newly qualified doctors.2Medical Schools CouncilOutcomes of the Medical Schools Council Safe Prescribing Working Group.http://www.medschools.ac.uk/Publications/Pages/Safe-Prescribing-Working-Group-Outcomes.aspxGoogle Scholar Finally, we are working to develop a national prescribing assessment that will demonstrate that these standards have been achieved before graduation. Each of these developments will help to address the recommendations made by the authors of EQUIP. We are also in agreement that the problems require solutions beyond education. In particular, we must seek to provide a safer environment in which prescribers can work. Both organisations have previously advocated the adoption of a national prescribing form and we urge the Department of Health to introduce one as soon as possible. We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.