Evaluating Antibiotic Treatment Guideline Adherence to Ongoing Antibiotic Stewardship in a Tertiary Care Setting: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is widely regarded as an increasing threat to global public health. Antibiotic treatment guidelines have been increasingly recognized as an effective tool to guide appropriate prescriptions and help curtail antibiotic resistance. The present study aimed to assess physician's adherence to hospital antibiotic treatment guideline recommendations in Nepal and determine predictive variables with a significant association. This was a retrospective, monocentric observational review to investigate the adherence to endorsed guidelines using the medical records of adults admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI), pneumonia, or skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) from January 2018 to December 2019. Of the 2,077 medical records that were reviewed (954 UTI, 754 pneumonia, and 369 SSTI), 354 (17%) met the study inclusion criteria, which included 87 UTI, 180 pneumonia, and 87 SSTI patients. Among eligible patients with antibiotic prescriptions, the following were adherent to guideline recommendations: 33 (37.9%) UTI, 78 (43.3%) pneumonia, and 23 (26.4%) SSTI. The overall extent of adherence to hospital antibiotic treatment guidelines for the use of antibiotics among adult inpatients diagnosed with these common infections was 37.9%. Patients who received ceftriaxone (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.18-3.71, p=0.012) and levofloxacin (OR = 4.63, 95% CI = 1.30-16.53, p=0.018) had significantly higher adherence to treatment guidelines. This study revealed a low adherence rate despite the availability of updated guidelines for antibiotic prescriptions. The findings confer an urgent need to confront antibiotic prescription patterns in such tertiary care centers for tailored interventions to improve adherence to antibiotic guidelines.

Minimizing prescribing errors: A phenomenological exploration of the views and experiences of independent prescribing pharmacists.

AIMS: This study aims to explore the views and experiences of independent prescribing (IP) pharmacists regarding prescribing errors and strategies to mitigate errors in practice. METHODS: One-to-one online semi-structured interviews were conducted with IP pharmacists across the United Kingdom. Verbatim transcripts of the interview were generated and coded using NVivo® 12 software for thematic analysis. A mixed inductive and deductive approach was used to generate themes and sub-themes which were then mapped onto the framework of factors that influence clinical practice proposed by Vincent et al. RESULTS: A total of 14 interviews were conducted. Participants linked the risk-averse nature of a pharmacist, self-perception of their roles as medicines experts, and previous experience of keeping checks on doctors' prescriptions as a dispenser often made them feel confident in prescribing. However, lacking adequate diagnostic skills, inadequate prescribing training programmes, and dealing with complex patients often made them feel vulnerable to committing errors. Organizational and system-related factors such as work interruptions and increased workload were identified as other factors linked to prescribing errors. CONCLUSIONS: Independent prescribing pharmacists use a variety of strategies to reduce the risk of prescribing errors. Promoting diagnostic competency in their area of practice, strengthening undergraduate and prescribing curricula, and addressing known organizational and system-related factors linked to prescribing errors can minimize errors and promote patient safety.

Cardiometabolic screening and monitoring in patients prescribed antipsychotic drugs in primary care: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the level of guideline adherence for cardiometabolic health monitoring for patients prescribed antipsychotic medicines in UK primary care. METHODS: In this population-based retrospective open cohort study, we used dataset of patients from the IQVIA Medical Research Data (IMRD) database between 1st January 2003 to 31st December 2018. Clinical Read codes were used to identify a cohort of adult patients with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia and at least four prescriptions of an anti-psychotic medication within 12 months of diagnosis. We then extracted data in relation to monitoring of cardiometabolic parameters (body compositions, lipids, and glucose outcomes) at baseline, then at six weeks, 12 weeks, and then 12 months. The frequency of outcome monitoring was described using descriptive statistics. FINDINGS: A total of 11,435 patients were eligible and of them (n = 9707; 84·8%) were prescribed second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). Only a small portion of the cohort (≈2·0%) received complete monitoring (at time points) for certain outcomes. Just over half the patients (n = 6599, 52%) had evidence of any cardiometabolic baseline testing for any of the study outcomes and the high majority had at least one abnormal lab value at baseline (n = 4627, 96·7%). INTERPRETATION: In UK primary care, cardiometabolic monitoring practices among patients prescribed antipsychotics remain suboptimal. There is a need to promote guideline adherence to prevent adverse outcomes in antipsychotic users.

Current practices, gaps, and opportunities on the role of clinical pharmacists in cancer pain management: Perspectives from Nepal.

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Baseline characteristics of people experiencing homelessness with a recent drug overdose in the PHOENIx pilot randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Drug-related deaths in Scotland are the highest in Europe. Half of all deaths in people experiencing homelessness are drug related, yet we know little about the unmet health needs of people experiencing homelessness with recent non-fatal overdose, limiting a tailored practice and policy response to a public health crisis. METHODS: People experiencing homelessness with at least one non-fatal street drug overdose in the previous 6 months were recruited from 20 venues in Glasgow, Scotland, and randomised into PHOENIx plus usual care, or usual care. PHOENIx is a collaborative assertive outreach intervention by independent prescriber NHS Pharmacists and third sector homelessness workers, offering repeated integrated, holistic physical, mental and addictions health and social care support including prescribing. We describe comprehensive baseline characteristics of randomised participants. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-eight participants had a mean age of 42 years (SD 8.4); 71% male, homelessness for a median of 24 years (IQR 12-30). One hundred and eighteen (92%) lived in large, congregate city centre temporary accommodation. A quarter (25%) were not registered with a General Practitioner. Participants had overdosed a mean of 3.2 (SD 3.2) times in the preceding 6 months, using a median of 3 (IQR 2-4) non-prescription drugs concurrently: 112 (87.5%) street valium (benzodiazepine-type new psychoactive substances); 77 (60%) heroin; and 76 (59%) cocaine. Half (50%) were injecting, 50% into their groins. 90% were receiving care from Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services (ADRS), and in addition to using street drugs, 90% received opioid substitution therapy (OST), 10% diazepam for street valium use and one participant received heroin-assisted treatment. Participants had a mean of 2.2 (SD 1.3) mental health problems and 5.4 (SD 2.5) physical health problems; 50% received treatment for physical or mental health problems. Ninety-one per cent had at least one mental health problem; 66% had no specialist mental health support. Participants were frail (70%) or pre-frail (28%), with maximal levels of psychological distress, 44% received one or no daily meal, and 58% had previously attempted suicide. CONCLUSIONS: People at high risk of drug-related death continue to overdose repeatedly despite receiving OST. High levels of frailty, multimorbidity, unsuitable accommodation and unmet mental and physical health care needs require a reorientation of services informed by evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Trial registration UK Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ISRCTN 10585019.

Illness perception about hepatitis C virus infection: a cross-sectional study from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a debilitating chronic health problem and can be fatal if left untreated. Illness perceptions are self-manifested beliefs that influence the ability of individuals to cope with their disease and perceive it as manageable or threatening condition. Limited evidence is available from low resource settings regarding patient perception about HCV. In this study, we aimed to assess the perception of individuals with HCV, the impact of their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on their HCV perception, and its link to patient-oriented treatment outcomes. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken enrolling individuals with HCV who attended Hepatitis C clinics at two hospitals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Illness perception was measured using Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ). Descriptive statistics, Kruskal Wallis tests and Mann Whitney U tests were performed to study patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and to analyze the questionnaire results. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess determinants associated with perception scores. RESULTS: Participants represented poor HCV perception and their overall mean BIPQ score was 43.35, SD = 13.15. Participants had a low degree of understanding about their illness (mean coherence score = 2.92, SD = 1.85). Individuals with more than four years, compared to less than one year, of estimated HCV infection were more likely to view that their illness would continue (mean timeline score = 6.27, SD = 2.50 versus 5.36, SD = 2.53; respectively, p < 0.01). Similarly, individuals with hepatic cirrhosis, compared to without, were more likely to attribute symptoms to their disease (mean identity score = 5.48, SD = 2.14 versus 4.89, SD = 2.38; respectively, p = 0.04). Female participants reported higher degrees at which the illness affected them emotionally (i.e., emotional representation) and lower coherence about HCV than males (p = 0.04 and 0.006, respectively). Individuals who did not achieve sustained virological response 24 weeks after treatment with interferon-based therapy, compared to treatment naïve individuals, reported lower trust in being successfully treated with newer anti-HCV agents (i.e., direct acting antivirals) (p = 0.029). However, multivariable linear regression revealed that no sociodemographic or clinical determinants were associated with a higher BIPQ score (i.e., more threatening, or negative perceptions). CONCLUSION: Individuals with HCV in Pakistan generally report threatening or negative views about HCV infection. Lack of trust in treatment efficacy was also apparent, especially in those who experienced failed anti-HCV treatments in the past. Healthcare professionals should consider these perceptions when treating individuals with HCV to optimize their compliance by aligning their perception with the high effectiveness of current anti-HCV therapies.

Prevalence, contributory factors and severity of medication errors associated with direct-acting oral anticoagulants in adult patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, contributory factors, and severity of medication errors associated with direct acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs). METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken by searching 11 databases including Medline, Embase, and CINHAL between January 2008 and September 2020. The pooled prevalence of errors and predictive intervals were estimated using random-effects models using Stata software. Data related to error causation were synthesised according to Reason's accident causation model. RESULTS: From the 5205 titles screened, 32 studies were included which were mostly based in hospitals and included DOAC treatment for thromboembolism and atrial fibrillation. The proportion of study population who experienced either prescription, administration, or dispensing error ranged from 5.3 to 37.3%. The pooled percentage of patients experiencing prescribing error was 20% (95% CI 15-25%; I2 = 96%; 95% PrI 4-43%). Prescribing error constituted the majority of all error types with a pooled estimate of 78% (95%CI 73-82%; I2 = 0) of all errors. The common reported causes were active failures including wrong drug, and dose for the indication. Mistakes such as non-consideration of renal function, and error-provoking conditions such as lack of knowledge were common contributing factors. Adverse events such as potentially fatal intracranial haemorrhage or patient deaths were linked to the errors but causality assessments were often missing. CONCLUSIONS: Despite their favourable safety profile, DOAC medication errors are common. There is a need to promote multidisciplinary working, guideline-adherence, training, and education of healthcare professionals, and the use of theory-based and technology-facilitated interventions to minimise errors and maximise the benefits of DOACs usage in all settings. PROTOCOL: A protocol developed as per PRISMA-P guideline is registered under PROSPERO ID = CRD42019122996.

Impact of deprivation, dementia prevalence and regional demography on prescribing of antidementia drugs in England: A time trend analysis.

AIM: This study aimed to examine trends in prescribing of antidementia drugs in primary care in England between 2009 and 2019, and investigate the impact of deprivation, regional demography and disease prevalence on prescribing practices. METHODS: Analysis of publicly available government data from various sources pertaining to primary care prescribing and demographics was conducted. All primary care prescription data pertaining to antidementia drugs in England between 2009 and 2019 were extracted and adjusted for inflation and population changes. Data across English clinical commissioning regions were compared to explore the association between prescribing trend, deprivation, regional demography and dementia prevalence. RESULTS: The number of prescription items for antidementia drugs in England increased by approximately 3-fold (195.4%) from 24 items/1000 population in 2009 to 70.9 items/1000 population in 2019. In 2019, the least-deprived areas had approximately twice the rate of prescribing of antidementia drugs compared to the most-deprived areas (median [IQR] values of 46.7 [36.6-64.8] vs 91.23 [76.2-95.1] items/1000 population, respectively). In the multivariable analysis, the number of prescription items showed an inverse relationship with deprivation (coefficient -0.046, 95% CI -0.47 to -0.045) after adjustment for number of populations aged 65+ years and prevalence of dementia. CONCLUSIONS: The 3-fold rise in the number of prescription items for antidementia drugs in the study period reflects the policy emphasis on early diagnosis and treatment of dementia. Higher rates of prescribing in the least-deprived areas may be reflective of better and early diagnoses and access to treatments. Such inequality in access to the treatments needs to be investigated further.

Pharmacist led homeless outreach engagement and non-medical independent prescribing (Rx) (PHOENIx) intervention for people experiencing homelessness: a non- randomised feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Homelessness and associated mortality and multimorbidity rates are increasing. Systematic reviews have demonstrated a lack of complex interventions that decrease unscheduled emergency health services utilisation or increase scheduled care. Better evidence is needed to inform policy responses. We examined the feasibility of a complex intervention (PHOENIx: Pharmacist led Homeless Outreach Engagement Nonmedical Independent prescribing (Rx)) to inform a subsequent pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: Non-randomised trial with Usual Care (UC) comparator group set in Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, Scotland. Participants were adult inpatients experiencing homelessness in a city centre Glasgow hospital, referred to the PHOENIx team at the point of hospital discharge, from 19th March 2018 until 6th April 2019. The follow up period for each patient started on the day the patient was first seen (Intervention group) or first referred (UC), until 24th August 2019, the censor date for all patients. All patients were offered and agreed to receive serial consultations with the PHOENIx team (NHS Pharmacist prescriber working with Simon Community Scotland (third sector homeless charity worker)). Patients who could not be reached by the PHOENIx team were allocated to the UC group. The PHOENIx intervention included assessment of physical/mental health, addictions, housing, benefits and social activities followed by pharmacist prescribing with referral to other health service specialities as necessary. All participants received primary (including specialist homelessness health service based general practitioner care, mental health and addictions services) and secondary care. Main outcome measures were rates of: recruitment; retention; uptake of the intervention; and completeness of collected data, from recruitment to censor date. RESULTS: Twenty four patients were offered and agreed to participate; 12 were reached and received the intervention as planned with a median 7.5 consultations (IQR3.0-14.2) per patient. The pharmacist prescribed a median of 2 new (IQR0.3-3.8) and 2 repeat (1.3-7.0) prescriptions per patient; 10(83%) received support for benefits, housing or advocacy. Twelve patients were not subsequently contactable after leaving hospital, despite agreeing to participate, and were assigned to UC. Two patients in the UC group died of drug/alcohol overdose during follow up; no patients in the Intervention group died. All 24 patients were retained in the intervention or UC group until death or censor date and all patient records were accessible at follow up: 11(92%) visited ED in both groups, with 11(92%) hospitalisations in intervention group, 9(75%) UC. Eight (67%) intervention group patients and 3(25%) UC patients attended scheduled out patient appointments. CONCLUSIONS: Feasibility testing of the PHOENIx intervention suggests merit in a subsequent pilot RCT.

Interventions to optimize prescribed medicines and reduce their misuse in chronic non-malignant pain: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Sub-optimal opioid prescribing and use is viewed as a major contributor to the growing opioid crisis. This study aims to systematically review the nature, process and outcomes of interventions to optimize prescribed medicines and reduce their misuse in chronic non-malignant pain (CNMP) with a particular focus on minimizing misuse of opiates. METHODS: A systematic review of literature was undertaken. Search of literature using Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL databases from 2000 onwards was conducted. Screening and selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessments were undertaken by two independent reviewers. Narrative synthesis of the data was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies were included in the review, of which three were RCTs. Interventions included clinical (e.g. urine drug testing, opioid treatment contract, pill count), behavioural (e.g. electrical diaries about craving), cognitive behavioural treatment and/or educational interventions for patients and healthcare providers delivered as a single or as a multi-component intervention. Medication optimization outcomes included aspects of misuse, abuse, aberrant drug behaviour, adherence and non-adherence. Although all evaluations showed improvement in medication optimization outcomes, multi-component interventions were more likely to consider and to have shown improvement in clinical outcomes such as pain intensity, quality of life, psychological states and functional improvement compared to single-component interventions. CONCLUSIONS: A well-structured CNMP management programme to promote medicines optimization should include multi-component interventions delivered by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals and target both healthcare professionals and patients. There was heterogeneity in definitions applied and interventions evaluated. There is a need for the development of clear and consistent terminology and measurement criteria to facilitate better comparisons of research evidence.

Global prevalence and types of complementary and alternative medicines use amongst adults with diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: This study aimed to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of global prevalence and types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use amongst adults with diabetes. METHODS: Nine databases, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, were searched for studies published between 2009 and 2019 which included extractable data for CAM use in adult patients with diabetes. Study characteristics, types of CAM, and overall and subgroup prevalence data in relation to CAM use were extracted. Meta-analysis of aggregate level data on prevalence and prevalence ratios (PRs) was performed using a random effects model. RESULTS: From the 38 studies included in the review, a total of 37 types of CAM and 223 types of herbs were identified. Pooled prevalence of CAM use was 51%. A wide variation in prevalence rates (predictive interval 8-93%) was observed. In the context of high heterogeneity, we found no evidence that CAM use was associated with gender, chronicity or type of diabetes. Approximately one third of patients did not disclose their use of CAM to healthcare professionals (95% PrI 25%, 97%). Herbal medicines, acupuncture, homoeopathy and spiritual healing were the common CAM types reported. CONCLUSIONS: A wide variation in prevalence of CAM use by patients with diabetes was identified. Healthcare professionals should be aware of their patients' use of CAM to ensure treatment optimization, avoid herb-drug interactions and promote medication adherence in diabetes. Diabetic reviews and clinical guidelines should incorporate exploration of patient use of CAM as many patients do not proactively disclose the use of CAM to their healthcare professionals. REGISTRATION: The protocol for this study was registered with the Centre for Review and Dissemination (CRD). Protocol registration number CRD42019125036.

Scope, quality and inclusivity of international clinical guidelines on mental health and substance abuse in relation to dual diagnosis, social and community outcomes: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: It is estimated that up to 75% of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) also have substance use disorder (SUD). The aim of this systematic review was to explore the scope, quality and inclusivity of international clinical guidelines on mental health and/or substance abuse in relation to diagnosis and treatment of co-existing disorders and considerations for wider social and contextual factors in treatment recommendations. METHOD: A protocol (PROSPERO CRD42020187094) driven systematic review was conducted. A systematic search was undertaken using six databases including MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PsychInfo from 2010 till June 2020; and webpages of guideline bodies and professional societies. Guideline quality was assessed based on 'Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II' (AGREE II) tool. Data was extracted using a pre-piloted structured data extraction form and synthesized narratively. Reporting was based on PRISMA guideline. RESULT: A total of 12,644 records were identified. Of these, 21 guidelines were included in this review. Three of the included guidelines were related to coexisting disorders, 11 related to SMI, and 7 guidelines were related to SUD. Seven (out of 18) single disorder guidelines did not adequately recommend the importance of diagnosis or treatment of concurrent disorders despite their high co-prevalence. The majority of the guidelines (n = 15) lacked recommendations for medicines optimisation in accordance with concurrent disorders (SMI or SUD) such as in the context of drug interactions. Social cause and consequence of dual diagnosis such as homelessness and safeguarding and associated referral pathways were sparsely mentioned. CONCLUSION: Despite very high co-prevalence, clinical guidelines for SUD or SMI tend to have limited considerations for coexisting disorders in diagnosis, treatment and management. There is a need to improve the scope, quality and inclusivity of guidelines to offer person-centred and integrated care.

Hospital admission trends due to respiratory diseases in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019: an ecologic study.

BACKGROUND: Identifying trends of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases is crucial for public health and research to guide future clinical improvements for better outcomes. This study aims to define the trends of respiratory disease-related hospital admissions (RRHA) in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019. METHODS: An ecological study was conducted using hospital admission data taken from the Hospital Episode Statistics database in England and the Patient Episode Database for Wales. Hospital admissions data for respiratory diseases were extracted for the period between April 1999 and March 2019. The trend in hospital admissions was assessed using a Poisson model. RESULTS: Hospital admission rate increased by 104.7% [from 1535.05 (95% CI 1531.71-1538.38) in 1999 to 3142.83 (95% CI 3138.39-3147.26) in 2019 per 100,000 persons, trend test, p < 0.01]. The most common causes were influenza and pneumonia, chronic lower respiratory diseases, other acute lower respiratory infections, which accounted for 26.6%, 26.4%, and 14.9%, respectively. The age group 75 years and above accounted for 34.1% of the total number of hospital admissions. Males contributed to 50.5% of the total number of hospital admissions. Hospital admission rate in females increased by 119.8% [from 1442.18 (95% CI 1437.66-1446.70) in 1999 to 3169.38 (95% CI 3163.11-3175.64) in 2019 per 100,000 persons, trend test, p < 0.001]. Hospital admission rate increased by 92.9% in males [from 1633.25 (95% CI 1628.32-1638.17) in 1999 to 3149.78 (95% CI 3143.46-3156.09) in 2019 per 100,000 persons, trend test, p < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: During the study period, hospital admissions rate due to respiratory diseases increased sharply. The rates of hospital admissions were higher among males for the vast majority of respiratory diseases. Further observational studies are warranted to identify risk factors for these hospital admissions and to offer relevant interventions to mitigate the risk.

Adverse events related to COVID-19 vaccines: the need to strengthen pharmacovigilance monitoring systems.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new species of ß-coronavirus genus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The COVID-19 pandemic, which started in late 2019 and continues as at mid-2021, has caused enormous damage to health and lives globally. The urgent public health need has led to the development of vaccines against COVID-19 in record-breaking time. The COVID-19 vaccines have been widely rolled out for the masses by many countries following approval for emergency use by the World Health Organization and regulatory agencies in many countries. In addition, several COVID-19 vaccine candidates are undergoing clinical trials. However, myths, fears, rumors, and misconceptions persist, particularly in regard to adverse events. In this commentary, we describe the adverse events associated with COVID-19 vaccines and discuss why it is essential to have a functional adverse event monitoring system in this context.

Research priorities in healthcare of persons experiencing homelessness: outcomes of a national multi-disciplinary stakeholder discussion in the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) face up to twelve times higher mortality rates compared to the general population. There is a need to develop, evaluate and implement novel interventions to minimise such inequalities. This paper aims to present outcomes of a national stakeholder engagement event that was conducted to discuss research priorities around healthcare of PEH in the United Kingdom (UK). MAIN BODY: A national stakeholder event was organised in Birmingham, UK. This workshop aimed to engage diverse stakeholders from a variety of background including representations from clinical practice, substance misuse, anti-slavery network, public health practice, local authority, homelessness charities, drugs and alcohol services, Public Health England and academia. A total of five key priority areas for research were identified which included: a) interventions to improve access to health services and preventative services; b) interventions to prevent drug and alcohol related deaths; c) improving existing services through quality improvement; d) identifying PEH's preferences of services; and e) interventions to break the link between vulnerabilities, particularly- modern day slavery and homelessness. Effective partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups were deemed to be imperative in developing, testing and implementing novel interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Maximising access to services, prevention of early deaths linked to drugs and alcohol, and identifying effective and ineffective policies and programmes were identified as priority research areas in relation to healthcare of PEH. The outcomes of this discussion will enable design and conduct of interdisciplinary research programmes to address the syndemics of homelessness and linked adverse health outcomes. Priorities identified here are likely to be applicable internationally.

Barriers to monitoring and management of cardiovascular and metabolic health of patients prescribed antipsychotic drugs: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The use of atypical antipsychotics which currently form the primary choice pharmacotherapy for several mental health conditions have been linked to cardiovascular and metabolic side effects. This systematic review aimed to investigate the barriers to monitoring and management of cardiovascular co-morbidities in patients prescribed antipsychotic medicines. METHODS: A protocol-led (CRD-42018106002) systematic literature review was conducted by searching Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO databases 2003 until October 2019. Cochrane, Centre for Review and Dissemination (CRD) and PRISMA guidelines were followed. Studies investigating barriers to monitoring and management of cardiovascular co-morbidities in patients prescribed antipsychotic medicines were included. RESULTS: A total of 23 records were included. Key barriers included a) health-care system-related factors such as lack of knowledge and expertise amongst care providers, available resources, confusion around remit and roles, fragmentation of care such as across general practitioners and psychiatrists, and time constraints and b) patient-related factors such as disability resulting from mental health conditions, knowledge and skills of the patients. CONCLUSION: Barriers to monitoring and management of cardiovascular and metabolic health of patients taking antipsychotic medicines are multidimensional. Apart from educational interventions directed to both patients and health-care professionals, the results suggest a need for the improvement of wider system-related factors to improve physical health of patients prescribed antipsychotic medicines. Clearer guidelines, clarity of remit and roles amongst service providers are necessary in addition to educational interventions directed at patients and health-care professionals in improving physical health monitoring, counselling and management of patients prescribed antipsychotic medicines. TRIAL REGISTRATION: A protocol was developed and registered with PROSPERO as per PRISMA-P guidelines ( CRD 42018106002 ).

Medication errors in hospitals in the Middle East: a systematic review of prevalence, nature, severity and contributory factors.

PURPOSE: The aim was to critically appraise, synthesise and present the evidence of medication errors amongst hospitalised patients in Middle Eastern countries, specifically prevalence, nature, severity and contributory factors. METHODS: CINAHL, Embase, Medline, Pubmed and Science Direct were searched for studies published in English from 2000 to March 2018, with no exclusions. Study selection, quality assessment (using adapted STROBE checklists) and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. A narrative approach to data synthesis was adopted; data related to error causation were synthesised according to Reason's Accident Causation model. RESULTS: Searching yielded 452 articles, which were reduced to 50 following removal of duplicates and screening of titles, abstracts and full-papers. Studies were largely from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. Thirty-two studies quantified errors; definitions of 'medication error' were inconsistent as were approaches to data collection, severity assessment, outcome measures and analysis. Of 13 studies reporting medication errors per 'total number of medication orders'/ 'number of prescriptions', the median across all studies was 10% (IQR 2-35). Twenty-four studies reported contributory factors leading to errors. Synthesis according to Reason's model identified the most common being active failures, largely slips (10 studies); lapses (9) and mistakes (12); error-provoking conditions, particularly lack of knowledge (13) and insufficient staffing levels (13) and latent conditions, commonly heavy workload (9). CONCLUSION: There is a need to improve the quality and reporting of studies from Middle Eastern countries. A standardised approach to quantifying medication errors' prevalence, severity, outcomes and contributory factors is warranted.

National recruitment scheme for pre-registration pharmacist training in England and Wales: a mixed method evaluation of experiences of applicant pharmacy students.

BACKGROUND: A national pre-registration pharmacist training recruitment scheme, which replaces local recruitment models, was introduced in England and Wales in 2017. The national recruitment system allows pharmacy students to apply for the 52 weeks training programmes (mandatory requirement for registration as a pharmacist), through a single application system prior to undertaking a nationally administered assessment. This study aimed to explore experiences of pharmacy students on the national recruitment scheme, particularly their views on the selection methodology, application process, and offer outcomes. METHODS: This mixed method study involved a) an online survey of all (approximate n = 2800) year 4 (final year of MPharm degree) pharmacy students in England and Wales and b) a qualitative focus group with four students. The study population was eligible to participate in the 2017/18 national recruitment scheme. Survey respondents were invited to participate in a focus group. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis. Qualitative data were analysed using the framework technique. Participation was voluntary. Ethical approval from University of Birmingham was obtained. RESULTS: A total of 307 completed surveys were returned (approximate response rate 11%). Respondents were generally satisfied with the application process and commended the fairness of the selection methodology and convenience in allowing them to apply to multiple training providers. Most survey respondents (n = 181, 72.9%) were either satisfied or highly satisfied with the training programme they were offered based on their assessment performances. Three themes and eight sub-themes obtained from the analysis of over 200 open comments data from the survey and transcript of a focus group with four participants. Results suggested the need to widen the timeframe available for applicants to shortlist their preferred employers, improve the method of programme listing in the application system, and consideration of prior achievements including academic performances and placement experiences to be included in the selection methodology. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of pharmacy students on the national recruitment scheme suggest that respondents considered the selection methodology to be fair. Student engagement and satisfaction with the recruitment system can be maximised through improved listing of employers and widening the timescales for students to shortlist their preferred employers during application process. Inclusion of University achievements in the selection methodology will require consideration of evidence based approaches. Low response rate limits generalisation of findings.

Health, self-care and the offshore workforce - opportunities for behaviour change interventions, an epidemiological survey.

INTRODUCTION: The high risk nature of offshore work and inherent occupational hazards necessitate that offshore workers engage in behaviours that promote health and wellbeing. The survey aimed to assess offshore workers' health, self-care, quality of life and mental wellbeing, and to identify associated areas requiring behaviour change. METHODS: Offshore workers attending a course at a training facility in Scotland were invited to complete a questionnaire comprising 11 validated measures of health, self-care, quality of life and mental wellbeing. RESULTS: A total of 352 offshore workers responded (completion rate 45.4%). Almost three-quarters were identified as overweight/obese (n=236, 74.4%). Median scores for SF-8 quality of life (physical=56.1, interquartile range (IQR)=4.8; mental=54.7, IQR=8.1) and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing scales were positive (52.0, IQR=9.0). The largest proportion of participants' scores across alcohol use (n=187, 53.4%) and sleep quality (n=229, 67.0%) domains were categorised as negative. The median number of self-care domains for which offshore workers scored negatively was 3 (IQR=2.0). CONCLUSIONS: There are key areas relating to the health, quality of life, mental wellbeing and self-care of the offshore workforce that warrant addressing.

Estimating the burden of minor ailment consultations in general practices and emergency departments through retrospective review of routine data in North East Scotland.

BACKGROUND: Minor ailment attendances in general practices and emergency departments (EDs) place significant burden on health care resources. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and type of minor ailment consultations for adults in general practice and ED that could be managed in a community pharmacy. METHODS: Retrospective review of routine data from general practices (n = 2) and one ED in North East Scotland. Two independent consensus panels assessed each consultation summary to determine whether it represented a minor ailment. Outcomes included prevalence of consultations for minor ailments in general practice and ED and frequency of different minor ailment type that could be managed in community pharmacies. RESULTS: In total, of the 494 general practice and 550 ED consultations assessed, 13.2% [95% confidence interval (CI): 18.6-25.9%] and 5.3% (95% CI: 4.0-8.0%), respectively, were categorized as minor ailments suitable for management in community pharmacies. Consensus among panel members was moderate for general practice consultations, but fair to poor for ED consultations. Agreement between uni- and multi-disciplinary panels was good. Applied to national data, these estimates would equate to ~18 million general practice and 6500000 ED consultations that could be redirected to community pharmacy, equating to ~£1.1 billion in resources. CONCLUSION: Minor ailment consultations still present a major burden on higher cost settings. Effective strategies are needed to raise awareness among patients and health professionals regarding conditions that can be managed effectively in pharmacies and to change patient health-seeking behaviour for such conditions.