What we offer

Have you recently been discharged from hospital, or a care-home?

Do you have a relative in hospital?

Are you a carer for someone?

Do you have your medicines dispensed in trays? 

If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, you will benefit from our Discharge Medicine Review (DMR) service. This is because, when you are discharged from hospital, the hospital doctors will probably make changes to your regular medication. We will make sure that any changes that the hospital make will be correctly carried on by your GP practice.

Sometimes there are delays in updating your GP record with hospital changes, and your next prescriptions may not reflect what the hospital doctors have actually prescribed. Sometimes, changes are quite complex and even small changes (which are important) can be overlooked when the GP practice tries to 'translate' your new hospital record. Unfortunately this is a real problem that can lead to real patient harm, which we can easily prevent. 

"How do I go about asking the pharmacy to start the DMR service for me?"

We only need two things to start your DMR service - your consent to provide the service, and your medicine discharge sheet.

If anyone in a hospital ever gives you a discharge sheet to "take to your doctor", please drop by the pharmacy first so we can photocopy it before handing it to your GP.

Or, before you go into hospital, always ask them to copy any discharge information to our pharmacy as well as your GP. The hospital will email or fax a copy to us as soon as you are discharged, and we will then check it against any subsequent prescriptions your GP prints.

Better still, if you give your consent to us before you even go into hospital, we can register you for the service then the hospital will email the list of new medicines to us automatically. When the hospital discharges you they will then email the list of new medicines to us before your GP issues your next prescriptions. Your carer can also give your consent on your behalf. Why not download a consent form here and hand it in while you are still well? We have a much better chance of helping you in the future should you ever be admitted.

"What happens in the DMR?"

Once we have the discharge sheet the pharmacist will contact you or your carer (which ever you prefer) by phone or in person. We will go over those medicines that may have changed and improve your knowledge of the drugs that you are using. It is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions about your treatment. At this point we will be looking out for your next GP prescriptions and carefully checking everything to keep you safe.

Then approximately one month later, we will contact you again to make sure you are not getting any side effects or having any difficulties with the overall regime of medication. With your consent we will report any problems to your doctor.

As experts in medicines, our pharmacists are well placed to help you achieve the maximum benefit from your medicines.

Who can use the DMR service?

If any of the below apply, you will qualify for a DMR:

• If any of your medicines have been changed during your stay in the care setting from which you have been discharged.
• If you are taking four or more medicines.
• If your medicine requires dispensing into trays (so called monitored dosage systems).
• So if you have been discharged from the hospital recently, ask in-store if this service will be appropriate for you.

The DMR service is funded by the NHS and is free of charge. 

There is more about the DMR service in the video below:

Gwelwch yma os hoffwch wylio drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg: