Virtual Polypharmacy Workshops

We will provide you with a practice specific data pack which will allow you to create a bespoke Polypharmacy Action and Implementation plan, allow you to reflect on your current practice to kick start CPD cycles, help you to understand your personal barriers and support you to develop Polypharmacy Pledges which will ultimately improve health outcomes for your patients.

Furthermore, the decreased burden of authorising repeat medication that patients aren’t taking or don’t want to take, proactively reducing queries about medication and allowing you to reach SMR and prescribing targets will lead to benefits in your day-to-day workload.

Speak to your local Polypharmacy Champion to learn more about the AHSN Polypharmacy Project and register on the Eventbrite link below to secure a space.

The following Cohorts A-F are available. Please note when you click “select a date” you will need to select the date that matches Session 1 of your chosen cohort. You are then registering for and must attend all 3 sessions from that cohort.

• Cohort A – 12th Sep 2023, 25th Sep 2023, 9th Oct 2023 (Tuesdays, 9.30am – 12.15pm)
• Cohort B – 9th Nov 2023, 16th Nov 2023, 30th Nov 2023 (Thursdays, 9.30am – 12.15pm)
• Cohort C – 15th Nov 2023, 22nd Nov 2023, 6th Dec 2023 (Wednesdays, 9.30am – 12.15pm)
• Cohort D – 8th Jan 2024, 22nd Jan 2024, 5th Feb 2024 (Mondays, 9.30am – 12.15pm)
• Cohort E – 18th Jan 2024, 1st Feb 2024, 15th Feb 2024 (Thursdays, 9.30am – 12.15pm)
• Cohort F – 21st Feb 2024, 28th Feb 2024, 6th Mar 2024 (Wednesdays, 9.30am – 12.15pm)

Agenda:

This online interactive course is held over three half days (9.30am – 12.15pm) over one month using Microsoft Teams:

Session 1:

• Definition of Polypharmacy
• Understanding the benefits – Why should practices have polypharmacy as a priority area of focus
• Outline different ways to identify patients for SMR
• Understand a practice level data pack which we provide and discuss how to use this to prioritise workload and make best use of time

Begin to create a bespoke Polypharmacy Action Plan

Understand how to run an impactful Polypharmacy QI project

Session 2:

• Why is Polypharmacy challenging
• Understanding personal barriers
• NICE – How to stop medication safely
• Polypharmacy Toolkit Overview – Tools and resources to support SMRs and deprescribing
• Medicolegal stance on stopping medication

Start reflective CPD cycles and personal Polypharmacy Pledges

Access to Polypharmacy Resources & Toolkit

Session 3: 2-Part Workshop:

1st half – Shared decision making

• What it is and how to do it well
• Introducing the NHSE “preparing for a medication review” patient pack, strategies on using them to best effect and the benefits they can create

2nd half – Protected time to plan on how to put learning into practice

• Protected time to turn your Polypharmacy Action Plan into a

Polypharmacy Quality Improvement / Implementation plan

Please note:

• Delegates will receive a certificate of attendance.
• Delegates need to attend all 3 sessions to successfully complete the set of workshops and receive the certificate of attendance.
• Spaces will be confirmed by email.

By the end of the set of workshops each attendee will leave with:

• A practice specific data pack highlighting where you currently sit with the NHSBSA Polypharmacy Comparators (Equivalent to running 25 separate ePACT2 searches)
• A bespoke Polypharmacy Action and Implementation plan which can form the basis of a quality improvement project over the coming year
• Polypharmacy Pledges – 1-3 personal pledges on what you will do differently moving forward to improve polypharmacy for patients
• Kick start planned CPD cycles for any clinical medication groups that you find personally challenging to deprescribe and highlighting sources of information you can use to upskill in those areas
• Access to a toolkit of resources that can support you with your ongoing Polypharmacy journey after the workshops
• Access to an SMR best practice guidance document created by Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICS Medicines Optimisation team
• A Quality Improvement poster template that can be used to capture outputs of your Polypharmacy work this year
• Access to a Quality Improvement poster library, demonstrating the kinds of project that can be run using the learning from the workshops and the benefits created for patients and practice.

Who should attend?

• Health care professionals that regularly perform Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) in primary care settings
• General Practitioners
• Advanced Nurse Practitioners
• Pharmacists that perform SMRs – i.e working towards IP qualification or equivalent
• Independent prescribers
• Care Home teams
• Community Health Medication Optimisation teams that perform SMRs and frailty reviews

This list is not exhaustive, if you feel like you should be eligible but aren’t sure please contact Jordan.Leith@wmahsn.org to discuss.

Accessing the training:

You will receive joining instructions 2 days before each training session. If you do not receive these, please contact laura.mould@wmahsn.org