How timely is access to palliative care medicines in the community? A mixed methods study in a UK city.

Objective: To investigate timely access to palliative medicines/drugs (PMs) from community pharmacies to inform palliative care service delivery.

Design: Mixed methods in two sequential phases: (1) prospective audit of prescriptions and concurrent survey of patients/representatives collecting PMs from pharmacy and (2) interviews with community pharmacists (CPs) and other healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Setting: Five community pharmacies in Sheffield, UK and HCPs that deliver palliative care in that community.

Development, implementation and cost-effectiveness of a protocol for review of combination diuretic prescribing.

Aims: To determine the extent of inappropriate prescribing of combination diuretics and the cost implications of protocol implementation.

Methods: Pharmacist-run medication review clinics in two general practices in Bradford, UK.

Results: Sixty-one patients, mean +/- s.

Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of a patient education letter aimed at reducing long-term prescribing of benzodiazepines.

Objective: To determine the economic implications of sending an educational letter to patients, aimed at reducing long-term BDZ prescribing.

Method: Letters were sent to 242 patients from 2 general medical practices. BDZ usage and costs were compared in the years before and after intervention using numbers of defined daily dosages (DDDs) prescribed.