SUMMARY - Safe Medications Management project: Key issues and ...

Australian Nursing Federation (ANF)/Royal College of Nursing Australia (RCNA) NursingGuidelines - Aged Care settings,several relevant Professional Practice Standards;three guidance documents on Residential Medication Management Reviews (RMMR) in agedcare facilities from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia;Position Statement from the Australian Society for Geriatric Medicine; andRoyal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Guidelines for the medical care ofolder persons in residential aged care facilities (The Silver Book) - Chapter 3.Victoria Department of Health has produced the Drugs and Poisons Controls in Victoria,managing drugs in residential Aged Care and Key requirements for nurses in residential AgedCare Services“The Silver Book’ makes clear references to the three sets of APAC guidelines, and theANF/RCNA Nursing Guidelines are incorporated in the APAC Guidelines for Residential Care.2.2.2.3. Industry Organisation documentsRelevant guidance documents were found from several industry organisations. The AustralianGeneral Practice Network (AGPN) has released a set of information and tools for RMMRs. Severalindividual GP Divisions have developed Resource Kits for Medication Management in aged care,usually based on the APAC guidelines, and initiated or led several Quality Use of Medicinesprojects run in partnership with service providers. One example is the MedGap project whichdeveloped systems and tools to ensure safe and prompt continuity of medication for patientsmoving between acute hospitals and either home or residential care.The Pharmacy Guild has also produced a range of sound information documents on aspects ofmedication management in aged care.The two Aged Care industry peak bodies and the Aged Care Industry IT Council have initiated aproject to implement an electronic medication management system in aged care facilities, which isoutlined in the 2009 publication “Case for Electronic Medication Management in Aged Care –Executive Summary”.All these guidance documents discussed briefly above, vary in depth and specificity but clearlyreflect good if not best, practice. Many include well-designed forms and tools to support and assistsafe practice in aged care and community settings.2.2.2.4. Academic and Overseas LiteratureA wide ranging search identified a range of documents and tools that were reviewed in greaterdetail. Of particular note were the following points:a Pharmaceutical Care Package for assessing and providing shared pharmaceutical care in thecommunity;Standards for Medicines Management from the Nursing and Midwifery Council UK,(comparable to those of the former Western Australian and South Australian nurse registrationboards);20