Role of a Pharmacist in a Parkinson's Interdisciplinary Team?

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  What is the Role of a Pharmacist in a Parkinson’s Interdisciplinary Team?

• IRAS ID

  261089

• Contact name

  Jaswinder Dhap

• Contact email

  jaswinder.dhap@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Bradford

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 8 months, 24 days

• Research summary

  The research question being addressed is “What is the Role of a Pharmacist in a Parkinson’s Interdisciplinary Team?” Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms are multidimensional causing movement and non-movement symptoms. PD care requires input from a variety of healthcare professionals (HCP) and takes place as a multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary team (MDT/IDT). They typically include neurology consultants, specialist nurses (PDSN), physiotherapists and occupational therapists (OT). Current research studies suggest that pharmacists are not included in PD MDT/IDT. Pharmacists have been included in a number of other MDT/IDTs for other long term conditions and are able to contribute their specialist knowledge benefiting patients. Pharmacists can also optimise medications and conduct medication reviews supporting holistic care. A 2017 Parkinson’s UK audit identified that more needs to be done in implementing holistic care for PD via a PD MDT/IDT approach.
  Worcestershire Integrated Neurological Rehabilitation Service (WINRS) part of Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust (WHCT) will invite PD patients to be reviewed by MDT/IDT. Patients will attend a 40 minute outpatient clinic and receive an integrated care plan from the PD MDT/IDT. The recruited patients will be adults (over 18 years old) who are already known to WINRS. The inclusion criteria include patients with idiopathic PD, with a GP in Redditch and Bromsgrove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who have moderate to severe PD. The views of patients/carers and HCP involved in MDT/IDT will be sought to ascertain their views on the role of a pharmacist and the PD MDT/IDT. Up to 10 patients and carers will be invited to attend a focus group. The study will be conducted in outpatient clinics and sites operated by WHCT. The HCP interventions during the clinic will be counted and analysed at the end of the study from patient records.

• REC name

  London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  19/LO/1407

• Date of REC Opinion

  12 Dec 2019

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion