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Patients Association calls for Government to act on drug shortages
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The Patients Association is urgently calling on the Government to identify the underlying issues behind current drug shortages and take measures to resolve the situation before it gets any worse. We are deeply concerned to hear reports from pharmacists struggling to secure important medication for patients and finding it difficult to advise patients due to a lack of information about what is causing these drug shortages and delays.
The Government must consider all of the factors that can affect availability of medicines, clearly communicate the results of this analysis, and take actions to ensure an uninterrupted supply to pharmacies and patients.
CEO of the Patients Association, Rachel Power, says: "It is unacceptable to hear that patients are being turned away due to lack of medicines, and with the additional uncertainty around the impact of Brexit, it is crucial that pharmacists are able to provide reliable information to patients.
"No patient should be left feeling uncertain about what will happen with vital medication, and they need to have access to the information they need in order to make informed decisions about their healthcare."
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Get involved: patients with knee problems sought to help create new guidance
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We’ve partnered with Oxford University to produce new patient information about the recommended treatment options for meniscal problems of the knee. We’d like to hear from you if you currently have knee problems and are considering surgery, are waiting for a procedure or have recently had an operation. We’re looking for people to pilot a new approach to creating guidance that will inform and empower patients.
As well as working with Oxford University, the project is also supported by the NHS Getting It Right First Time programme and the British Association for Surgery of the Knee. Participants will need to be able to attend a meeting in Oxford on Thursday 7 November from 1.30 to 4pm. Travel expenses will be reimbursed and participants will receive a gift voucher. If you are interested in taking part please contact Heather Eardley on heather.eardley@patients-association.com.
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From the helpline: unsafe, premature discharge from hospital
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We were called by Gwen*, whose father had been prematurely discharged from hospital not once but twice. Gwen’s father has kidney cancer, a lesion on his brain and high blood glucose levels, and was discharged from hospital two weeks ago despite the absence or a care plan or any effective treatment for his illnesses.
The second admission occurred when Gwen’s father went to his GP for a prescription for incontinence pads. The GP took his blood pressure, and then told him to go immediately to the nearest district general hospital (DGH), where he was admitted and then quickly discharged again.
It appears that the DGH made the inappropriate discharge because Gwen’s father was ‘out of area’ for it, and it could therefore not access his GP records.
We advised Gwen to ask to see the most senior doctor responsible for her father's care, and to draw up a list of questions to raise beforehand. We also advised her to give feedback to the CQC about her father’s experience at the DGH, and to contact the safeguarding team if she is concerned about another unsafe discharge in the future. We asked Gwen to contact us again if we could be of any further help.
*Name has been changed.
If you need health or care advice, call 0800 345 7115 between 9.30 and 5pm on weekdays, or email helpline@patients-association.com. You can also visit our website to find out more about our helpline, and visit our advice and information leaflets here.
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What our team is reading this week
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