Purpose of Ask About Medicines Week

Even as an overworked GP, Professor David Haslam welcomes Ask About Medicines Week

When I first became involved with Ask About Medicines Week a couple of years ago I warned everyone concerned that the one thing that GPs did not want was a single week when everyone was encouraged to go and ask about their medication.

But AAMW, to give it its inevitable acronym, isn’t trying to do that. None of the massive amount of publicity for this year’s week, which takes place from 1-6 November, will encourage the UK’s patients to take a special trip to their friendly family doctor that week. These action weeks are just ways of grabbing headlines and focusing public attention, which can only be a good thing.

Medicines safety

All of us in general practice are becoming more aware that safety is paramount. It distresses me if patients apologise and worry about wasting my time when they ask questions about a drug that I have prescribed. As I point out to them, it is they who are swallowing the tablets, so they who need to understand them.

In England alone, more than 660 million scrips are issued by GPs and a further 200 million by hospitals each year. That’s 1.8 million scrips written every day by GPs and half a million a day in hospitals. If we were superhuman and only made one error in every thousand prescriptions that would equate to well over half a million errors a year. Knowledgeable patients and teamworking with pharmacists can avoid this.

Waste is also a major issue, with between 10 and 20 per cent of prescription drugs never being used. Each year the approximate value of unused medicines returned to pharmacies amounts to 100 million.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that information about medicines is often poor. Those leaflets that are enclosed in most packs of pills may be a legal requirement, but they can terrify patients. I used to have a partner who guaranteed that he could get a patient to stop any drug at all simply by reading them the side- effects printed on the data sheet. It’s little wonder that patients can become confused and concerned.

According to the Healthcare Commission, nearly a third of patients visiting their GPs said they were not involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment. If they were more involved it seems logical that they would be more likely to take the medication properly, reducing both waste and risk.

Our problem in general practice is having too much to do in too little time, and inevitably we will feel wary if we believe that a never-ending stream of patients are going to appear demanding tutorials in therapeutics. But it’s much more likely that a brief discussion at the start to ensure patients understand their medicines could save time later.

Even as an overworked GP, I welcome Ask About Medicines Week. It focuses on encouraging patients to understand what they are taking and encourages them to talk to pharmacists – our partners in prescribing. This reminder of the power of education when it comes to prescribing could make a very real difference.

Ask About Medicines Week

Ask About Medicines Week takes place from 1-6 November. It recommends that GPs should run through the following with patients:

* Do you understand what your medicine is for?

* Do you know how and when to take it?

* You may expect the following side-effects…

* Are you happy with your medicine? Have you noticed any side- effects? If so, do they bother you?

* Will you come back and see me if you have any problems?

For more information and to download any promotional material such as leaflets and posters visit www.askaboutmedicines.org There will be a booklet about Ask About Medicines Week in next week’s issue of GP.

Professor David Haslam: ‘Information about medicines is often poor’

“Ask About Medicines Week encourages patients to find out about the medication they are taking

Professor Haslam

Professor Haslam is chairman of the RCGP

Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Oct 22, 2004