Good for you, good for us, good for everybody: A plan to reduce overprescribing to make patient care better and safer, support the NHS, and reduce carbon emissions

A review into the use of medication overprescribing, led by Dr Keith Ridge, estimates 10% of prescription items dispensed in primary care were not necessary. The report sets out a series of practical and cultural changes, including how to review prescriptions more effectively.

SPS commentary:

The review discusses responses to overprescribing that have already been implemented, including initiatives to promote medicines optimisation (e.g. establishment of Regional Medicines Optimisation Committees), structured medication reviews, medicines reconciliation, and deprescribing.

The report goes on to propose a series of practical and cultural changes to make sure patients get the most appropriate treatment for their needs while also ensuring clinicians’ time is well spent and taxpayer money is used wisely. Key recommendations include:

  • the introduction of a new National Clinical Director for Prescribing to lead a 3-year programme including research and training to help enable effective prescribing
  • system-wide changes to improve patient records, improve handovers between primary and secondary care, develop a national toolkit and deliver training to help general practices improve the consistency of repeat prescribing processes
  • improving the evidence base for deprescribing, and updated clinical guidance to support more patient-centred care. This would include ensuring GPs have the data and medical records they need, and are empowered to challenge and change prescribing made in hospitals
  • cultural changes to reduce a reliance on medicines and support shared decision-making between clinicians and patients, including increasing the use of social prescribing
  • providing clear information on the NHS website for patients about their medication and the creation of a platform for patients to be able to provide information about the effectiveness and the adverse effects of their medicines; and
  • the development of interventions to reduce waste and help deliver NHS’s net zero carbon emissions

Ministers have accepted all recommendations and work will now begin to implement them, with reforms to pharmacist training already underway.

Department of Health and Social Care