Polypharmacy prescribing guidance - draft: consultation

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

Relevant tools can be utilised to prioritise medication review, such as polypharmacy case finding indicators or criteria based on START/STOPP

Good practice point

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

Small educational group sessions can lead to a decrease in prescribing of a range of medications, including antibiotics, and neuroleptics

Strong recommendation

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

Medication Sick Day Guidance should be discussed with care staff so harm can be prevented during an episode of acute dehydrating illness.

Conditional recommendation

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