Optimising Medication Use in Paediatric Out-Patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
To identify any problems faced by patients, parents or carers following the initiation of new long term medicines at a paediatric out-patient clinic.
IRAS ID
148123
Contact name
David RP Terry
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aston University
Research summary
When patients are started on a new medicine by their GP they are able to access the NHS New Medicines Service (NMS) provided by community pharmacists. This aims to help improve medicines adherence (taking the medicine as intended). Whilst the NMS may be provided to a child, the child must be competent to consent to the service. A parent or carer cannot consent on behalf of the child.
At Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH), many out-patients will receive their first medicine dispensed from the Out-Patient Pharmacy and will not be eligible to access the NMS. These patients, parents or carers do not have the support of a pharmacist in the first few weeks following the initiation of a new medicine.
This research is required to determine what problems, if any, are experienced by patients, parents and carers when a new long term medicine has been prescribed at a paediatric out-patient clinic.
Patients, parents or carers will be recruited from Birmingham Children's Hospital out-patient pharmacy. Following consent, their initial knowledge of the medicine will be determined (aware of the name, indication, dose, how to take, duration and awareness of important side effects) and usual pharmacist counselling will also be provided. Following a period of 6 weeks a follow-up semi-structured telephone interview will be conducted to determine information needs, issues relating to administering/taking the medicine, side effects, any difficulties obtaining the medicine and an assessment of adherence.
The findings of this study will identify the issues that patients, parents or carers face during the first 6 weeks of starting a new medicine. This will inform the input that a paediatric hospital pharmacist may have in supporting these patients.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/1086
Date of REC Opinion
23 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion