Polypharmacy prescribing guidance - draft: consultation
We are consulting on this draft updated polypharmacy prescribing guidance. 'Appropriate Prescribing - Making medicines safe, effective and sustainable 2025-2028' aims to further improve the care of individuals taking multiple medicines through the use of 7-Steps medicine reviews and promotes a holistic approach to person-centred care.
Closed
This consultation closed 22 September 2025.
View this consultation on consult.gov.scot, including responses once published.
2. Medication reviews for those receiving care at home and in care homes
No |
Our recommendations |
Strength of recommendation |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Prescribers responsible for those living in care homes could utilise information from different sources, to identify those appropriate for review to reduce polypharmacy, e.g. the polypharmacy case finding indicators. |
Conditional recommendation |
2 |
Relevant tools can be utilised to prioritise medication review, such as polypharmacy case finding indicators or criteria based on START/STOPP |
Good practice point |
3 |
People in care homes should have a multidisciplinary medicines review on admission and then at least yearly, in particular for potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and antipsychotics |
Good practice point |
4 |
Small educational group sessions can lead to a decrease in prescribing of a range of medications, including antibiotics, and neuroleptics |
Strong recommendation |
5 |
Care home staff and healthcare professionals (HCP) should be aware that certain medications can increase the risk of falls and harm caused by falls. |
Conditional recommendation |
6 |
Medication Sick Day Guidance should be discussed with care staff so harm can be prevented during an episode of acute dehydrating illness. |
Conditional recommendation |
7 |
Shared decision-making (part of 7-Steps process) reflecting the stated wishes of individuals and families, to improve quality of care, is important as part of a medication review. |
Strong recommendation |
Question 2a
Do you agree or disagree with the recommendations for people receiving care at home and in care homes?
(Agree / Neither agree nor disagree / Disagree / Not sure)
Question 2b
Please provide any further comments about our recommendations.
Contact
Email: EPandT@gov.scot