The trust started the EPMA programme in July 2021, with a pilot at two of the trust’s sites, as part of its programme to move away from using paper. Over the past six months the trust has been introducing the system on a borough-by-borough basis, with the final acute admission mental health wards going live at Milton Keynes’ Campbell Centre this month.
The next phase of the programme will see the system introduced to community intermediate care units, with an aim to have all its 52 wards and clinical areas live with EPMA by April this year.
Tf Chan, CNWL’s Chief Pharmacist, said: “Introducing an EPMA system is always challenging but even more so during a pandemic so I must congratulate the whole of the EPMA project for this incredible achievement. And while we’ve had our challenges in rolling this out, reception from staff has been overwhelmingly positive. They have seen the benefits.
“Nurses have told me they don’t need to look through 17 drug charts. They press a button and they know, for example, that at 12pm 10 patients need their medication so it cuts down the drug administration. Can you imagine all that time saved?”
Creating confidence in medicines
CNWL has also embarked on a project to improve medicines information, utilising videos combined with QR code technologies. The aim is to create solutions that enable patients, carers and staff to effectively engage with medicines information.
The trust is working with Winkball, a video company, to develop a series of videos to provide information accessed via a QR code. The first area of focus is a COVID-19 ‘myth buster’ video, aimed at younger adults who have concerns about the vaccination.
The second part of the project involves four QR videos on clozapine, to help address common queries and concerns and reduce risks associated with clozapine. The videos include:
- Considering clozapine: Information to support decision-making about starting clozapine
- Clozapine and physical health monitoring: Information on why this is important and what you can do to help
- Clozapine and constipation: Information about constipation with clozapine and what to do about it
- Clozapine and smoking: How to avoid problems if you change the amount you smoke when taking clozapine.
Yogita Dawda, Clinical Lead Pharmacist, said: “I have really enjoyed developing these videos. By having quick and easy access to information via a QR code on the packaging, I am hoping these will help reinforce important information about clozapine and remind patients to let us know about changes such as smoking and constipation to reduce the risk of adverse effects”.
The trust now plans to expand the project to other medicines in the coming months.
