Community pharmacies are able to make significant improvements to medicines adherence and quality of life for older patients who are taking multiple medicines, found a study by Community Pharmacy Future (CPF).

A pharmacy led service led to a reduction in falls and better medicines optimisation for patients in the trial.

Medication adherence improved among patients aged over 65 years old, who were taking four or more medicines regularly.

Speaking on behalf of the CPF project team, Clare Kerr, Head of Healthcare Policy and Strategy, Celesio UK and a member of the CPF Management Committee, said: “Our work has shown that delivering targeted and tailored support for patients when they visit a pharmacy brings real benefits."

"Improvements in clinical outcome measures translated in to tangible benefits that patients and pharmacists noticed. By reducing falls, pharmacists both saved the NHS money and improved patients’ confidence in what they were able to do."

"There were also clear benefits for the NHS itself, with patients being supported to use their medicines in an optimal way. We have also demonstrated that this service can be delivered by pharmacies in a wide range of settings.”

Pharmacists made 142 recommendations to prescribers in relation to 110 patients, largely centred on potentially inappropriate prescribing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton pump inhibitors or duplications of therapy. Eight of the recommendations were to start medication (either for asthma or bisphosphonates).

620 patients were recruited for the study and 25 pharmacies in the Wigan area took part.