Lord Patel
Main Page: Lord Patel (Crossbench - Life peer)
Lord Patel (CB)
When I was chairman of the National Patient Safety Agency, it produced the guidance that the noble Baroness mentioned. It identified the failure of reconciliation of medicines in acute admissions as a major patient safety issue. The failure rate in hospitals ranged from 10% reconciliation to 80% reconciliation. Those hospitals that achieved 80% reconciliation did so for one reason: pharmacists were involved. These are acute patients on multiple drugs. There is no other way except that those who know drugs and reconciliation are involved in the reconciliation of medicines on admission.
Baroness Jolly
The noble Lord is absolutely right. Pharmacists need to show leadership and expertise and to support all their colleagues to ensure that this happens appropriately.