The need for a prescribing competency framework to address the burden of complex polypharmacy among multiple long-term conditions

Catherine Picton*, Claire Loughrey, Andrew Webb

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    10 Citations (Scopus)
    260 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    The original requirement for a competency framework for prescribers was to identify the essential skills for nonmedical prescribers. However, core prescribing competencies are relevant to any prescriber. The new, revised version is especially relevant for doctors/physicians. Doctors are the most frequent prescribers - prescribing is the most common therapeutic intervention. The quantity and complexity of medicine use is increasing through multiple treatment strategies/pathways for multiple comorbidities, resulting in polypharmacy - especially with long-term conditions. This is against a background of the ongoing introduction of new drugs with novel mechanisms of action with increased risks of adverse effects, compounded by drug-drug and diseasedrug interactions. This has increased the need for monitoring and follow-up, including identification and management of poor adherence. It is challenging for doctors to maintain safe and effective prescribing and train other doctors and non-medical prescribers within the multidisciplinary team. The prescribing competency framework provides a systematic approach to support doctors to prescribe safely and effectively. It can be used by medical schools to teach prescribing, including preparation for the prescribing safety assessment; by F1/F2 doctors to support prescribing in early years; as part of prescribing quality improvement initiatives and as a continuing professional development framework in general practice or acute care settings.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)470-474
    Number of pages5
    JournalClinical medicine (London, England)
    Volume16
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2016

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