A PROJECT placing pharmacists in the A&E department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital has won a national award for its work helping patients go home from hospital as quickly as possible.

The scheme was launched in October last year and has since helped more than 2,200 patients visiting the hospital.

The pharmacists are able to work alongside A&E doctors, nurses and consultants to ensure patients are getting the most appropriate medication for their condition.

Now the joint project between NHS South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – the organisation running the Royal as well as the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital – has been named Best Project Across an Interface at the Pharmacy Management National Forum Awards.

Deputy director of pharmacy at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Rachael Montgomery said the project had proved extremely successful in its first 12 months.

“The use of medicines has become increasingly complex with many patients on multiple drugs,” she said.

“The introduction of pharmacists into A&E has ensured that patients’ medicine needs can be met more efficiently at the front door.

“Our pharmacists offer early assessment of any medicine related problems and the quick identification of medicines that patients may need during their visit.

“The team also ensure that all medicine related issues are communicated quickly to their GP.

“In these ways, pharmacists have demonstrated that they can improve quality and safety in relation to medicines management within A&E for all patients.”

Head of medicines commissioning at NHS South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group Jane Freeguard said she was delighted by the award.

“There are many benefits to having experts in medicine in clinical teams,” she said. “For example they can reduce delays in patients receiving their medicines, ensure patients are prescribed all of their regular medication and in some cases they can help patients without them needing to be admitted to a ward.”