Evaluation of effectiveness and safety of pharmacist independent prescribers in care homes: cluster randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To estimate the effectiveness, cost effectiveness (to be reported elsewhere), and safety of pharmacy independent prescribers in care homes.

Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial, with clusters based on triads of a pharmacist independent prescriber, a general practice, and one to three associated care homes.

Setting: Care homes across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, their associated general practices, and pharmacy independent prescribers, formed into triads.

A feasibility trial of an intervention in alcohol dependence for structured preparation before detoxification versus usual care: the SPADe trial results.

Background: Individuals who are 'moderately' or 'severely' dependent consume alcohol at levels that are likely to have a severe impact on their own health and mortality, the health and behaviours of others (family members) and to have economic and social implications. Treatment guidelines suggest that treatment needs to be planned with medically assisted withdrawal (also referred to as detoxification), and aftercare support but outcomes are poor with low proportions engaging in after care and high relapse rates. An approach of structured preparation before alcohol detoxification (SPADe) puts an emphasis on introducing lifestyle changes, development of coping strategies for cravings, stress and emotions as well as introducing changes to the immediate family and social environment in advance of alcohol cessation.

Development and feasibility testing of an evidence-based training programme for pharmacist independent prescribers responsible for the medicines-related activities within care homes.

Introduction: The UK pharmacists with independent prescribing rights (pharmacist independent prescribers [PIPs]) are authorised to prescribe within their areas of competence. To enable PIPs to provide pharmaceutical care to residents in care homes and assume responsibility for medicines management, a process for development and assessment of competence is required. The aim of this research was to develop a training and accreditation process (training programme) to enable PIPs to operate safely and effectively within care homes.

Administration of aspirin tablets using a novel gel-based swallowing aid: an open-label randomised controlled cross-over trial.

Introduction: To ease administration of medicines to people with dysphagia we developed and patented a gel formulation within which whole tablets could be inserted. The aim was to determine whether the gel would affect bioequivalence of uncoated aspirin tablet.

Method: A gel containing gelatin, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, citric acid, potassium sorbate and water was developed to maintain structure on tablet insertion and increase saliva production to lubricate the swallow.

Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of independent pharmacist prescribing in care homes: the CHIPPS study.

Background: Prescribing, monitoring and administration of medicines in care homes could be improved. Research has identified the need for one person to assume overall responsibility for the management of medicines within each care home. and shown that a pharmacist independent prescriber service is feasible in this context.

Systematic review and narrative synthesis of pharmacist provided medicines optimisation services in care homes for older people to inform the development of a generic training or accreditation process.

Objectives: To develop a training programme to enable pharmacists with prescribing rights to assume responsibility for the provision of pharmaceutical care within care homes, a systematic review and narrative synthesis was undertaken to identify reported approaches to training pharmacists and use this literature to identify potential knowledge requirements.

Methods: A PROSPERO-registered systematic review was performed using key search terms for care homes, pharmacist, education, training and pharmaceutical care. Papers reporting primary research focussed on care of the older person within the care home setting were included.

The Care Home Independent Prescribing Pharmacist Study (CHIPPS)-a non-randomised feasibility study of independent pharmacist prescribing in care homes.

Background: Residents in care homes are often very frail, have complex medicine regimens and are at high risk of adverse drug events. It has been recommended that one healthcare professional should assume responsibility for their medicines management. We propose that this could be a pharmacist independent prescriber (PIP).

A feasibility study of an intervention for structured preparation before detoxification in alcohol dependence: the SPADe trial protocol.

Background: Alcohol-related harm is currently estimated to cost the National Health Service (NHS) in England £3.5 bn a year. Of the estimated 1.

A systematic review of behaviour change techniques within interventions to prevent return to smoking postpartum.

Introduction: There is no routine support to prevent postpartum smoking relapse, due to lack of effective interventions. Previous reviews have identified behaviour change techniques (BCTs) within pregnancy cessation trials to specify which components might be incorporated into more effective interventions, but no reviews have identified BCTs for prevention of smoking relapse postpartum. We reviewed BCTs and potential delivery modes, to inform future interventions.

Relapse to smoking and health-related quality of life: Secondary analysis of data from a study of smoking relapse prevention.

Background: Previous studies have shown that smoking and smoking cessation may be associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this study, we compared changes in HRQoL in people who maintained abstinence with people who had relapsed to smoking.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from a trial of a relapse prevention intervention in 1,407 short-term quitters.

Self-help materials for smoking relapse prevention: a process evaluation of the SHARPISH randomized controlled trial.

Background: UK Stop Smoking Services are effective at assisting smokers to quit. However, smoking relapse rates are high, representing a significant public health problem. No effective interventions are currently available.

It's not what you do it's the way that it's measured: quality assessment of minor ailment management in community pharmacies.

Background: Effective management of minor ailments in community pharmacies could reduce the burden on alternative high-cost services (general practices, Emergency Departments). Evidence is needed regarding the appropriateness of management of these conditions in community pharmacies.

Objective: To explore the appropriateness of minor ailment management in community pharmacies.

Identifying and recruiting smokers for preoperative smoking cessation--a systematic review of methods reported in published studies.

Background: Smoking cessation before surgery reduces postoperative complications, and the benefit is positively associated with the duration of being abstinent before a surgical procedure. A key issue in providing preoperative smoking cessation support is to identify people who smoke as early as possible before elective surgery. This review aims to summarise methods used to identify and recruit smokers awaiting elective surgery.

Patients' perceptions of physical activity before and after joint replacement: a systematic review with meta-ethnographic analysis.

Background: It has been perceived that people following total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have the capability, with reduced pain, to increase their levels of physical activity.

Objectives: To determine the attitudes and perceptions of people awaiting or having undergone THA or TKA to physical activity post-arthroplasty and to identify potential facilitators or barriers to engage in active living and physical activity pursuits.

Methods: Systematic review of published and unpublished databases was undertaken from their inception to November 2014.

Self-help educational booklets for the prevention of smoking relapse following smoking cessation treatment: a randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Most people who quit smoking for a short term will return to smoking again in 12 months. We tested whether self-help booklets can reduce relapse in short-term quitters after receiving behavioural and pharmacological cessation treatment.

Design: A parallel-arm, pragmatic individually randomized controlled trial.

Effectiveness and economic evaluation of self-help educational materials for the prevention of smoking relapse: randomised controlled trial.

Background: Most people who quit smoking successfully for a short period will return to smoking again in 12 months. A previous exploratory meta-analysis indicated that self-help booklets may be effective for smoking relapse prevention in unaided quitters.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a set of self-help educational booklets to prevent smoking relapse in people who had stopped smoking with the aid of behavioural support.

Differences in Longer-Term Smoking Abstinence After Treatment by Specialist or Nonspecialist Advisors: Secondary Analysis of Data From a Relapse Prevention Trial.

Introduction: Smokers receiving support in specialist centers tend to have a higher short-term quit rate, compared with those receiving support in other settings from professionals for whom smoking cessation is only a part of their work. We investigated the difference in longer-term abstinence after short-term smoking cessation treatment from specialist and nonspecialist smoking cessation services.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of self-help booklets for the prevention of smoking relapse.

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.

Exploring the Concepts of Abstinence and Recovery Through the Experiences of Long-Term Opiate Substitution Clients.

Background: This study aimed to explore the client experience of long-term opiate substitution treatment (OST).

Methods: A qualitative grounded theory study set in a U.K.

Treatment retention, drug use and social functioning outcomes in those receiving 3 months versus 1 month of supervised opioid maintenance treatment. Results from the Super C randomized controlled trial.

Aim: Supervised consumption of opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) is standard in many drug centres reducing drug diversion, but is costly. We aimed to determine whether supervised consumption of OMT improved retention and other measures of drug use.

Design: Pragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing 3 months of daily supervised consumption of OMT with 1 month or less of daily supervised OMT, then daily unsupervised consumption.

Regaining control: the patient experience of supervised compared with unsupervised consumption in opiate substitution treatment.

Introduction And Aims: Supervised consumption of opiate substitution treatment is standard practice in the UK yet little is known about the patient experience of this treatment modality. This study aimed to assess the patient experience of receiving supervised compared with unsupervised consumption of methadone or buprenorphine.

Design And Methods: A qualitative study utilising a grounded theory approach to analysis.

Economic evaluation: a comparison of methadone versus buprenorphine for opiate substitution treatment.

Background: The cost of opiate substitution is usually considered lower in cost when methadone is used, as compared to that of buprenorphine, however the overall cost effectiveness of substitution programmes comparing the two drugs remains largely unknown.

Methods: We evaluated the treatment cost and effectiveness of methadone and buprenorphine when used in an opiate substitution programme in Norfolk, UK. All programme costs, estimated from the perspective of the drug treatment clinic, were collected on 361 opiate-dependent participants over a six-month period.

The experience of long-term opiate maintenance treatment and reported barriers to recovery: a qualitative systematic review.

Background/aim: To inform understanding of the experience of long-term opiate maintenance and identify barriers to recovery.

Methods: A qualitative systematic review.

Results: 14 studies in 17 papers, mainly from the USA (65%), met inclusion criteria, involving 1,088 participants.