National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
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NICE sets out plans to improve quality of life for people living in care homes who need medication
Care homes across England should empower and support residents to make decisions about their own medicines, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has proposed.
The institute has developed a list of 9 draft statements – brought together as a quality standard – which it believes care homes should address if they are to provide residents with high quality care.
Based on NICE guidance, it advises care homes to put individuals at the heart of decisions about any medicines they may need and to support them wherever possible to administer medication themselves.
Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE, said: “Children, young people and adults living in care homes often have complex health issues and can be more vulnerable than other people. Because of this, care homes may decide that decisions about medication are best made by staff. However, this may not necessarily be true.
“Evidence shows that involving people in decisions about their own care and supporting them to take an active role in managing their medicines can help them feel valued and improve their quality of life.”
The draft quality standard on managing medicines in care homes, which has been published for consultation, also sets out how care homes can avoid medication errors.
Mistakes in administering medicines are common, according to research over the last 5 years. In 2009, research showed that two thirds of the 256 care home residents involved in the study had been exposed to 1 or more medication errors[1]. Similarly, a 2011 study revealed that more than 90% of care home residents were exposed to at least 1 potential medication administration error over a 3-month period[2].
NICE published new guidance earlier this year recommending clear systems and processes to avoid such errors occurring. The draft quality standard builds on this and highlights the issue as a key area in need of improvement.
The standard also emphasises the importance of GP practices and care homes working together to promote best practice.
Professor Leng said: “This draft quality standard identifies a need for more person-centred care, better processes to avoid medication errors and integrated working between health and social care.
“What we now want to know from health and social care organisations is, have we got these priorities right?”
The public consultation on the draft quality standard will run until Friday 7 November 2014. It is expected to publish next March and will be the institute’s fourth quality standard for social care providers.
NICE was given responsibility for developing guidance and standards for the social care sector in April 2013 as a result of the government’s Health and Social Care Act (2012).
For more information call the NICE press office on 0300 323 0142 or out of hours on 07775 583 813.
Notes to Editors
Explanation of terms
About the draft quality standard
The draft quality standard is available athttp://www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/InDevelopment/GID-QSD88.
In March 2014, NICE published a clinical guideline on managing medicines in care homes. It makes a number of recommendations for healthcare professionals and social care practitioners about the systems and processes that need to be in place to ensure the safe and effective use of medicines for all children, young people and adults who live in care homes, including those who need nursing care: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/SC1
The draft quality standard is different to NICE’s existing guidance. While the guidance provides clear recommendations across numerous issues relating to medicines management in care homes, the quality standard highlights very specific areas where improvements are most needed.
About NICE quality standards
- NICE quality standard aim to help commissioners, health care professionals, social care and public health practitioners and service providers improve the quality of care that they deliver.
- NICE quality standards are prioritised statements designed to drive measurable quality improvements within a particular area of health or care. There is an average of 6-8 statements in each quality standard.
- Quality standards are derived from high quality evidence-based guidance, such as NICE guidance or guidance from NICE accredited sources, and are produced collaboratively with health care professionals, social care and public health practitioners, along with their partner organisations, patients, carers and service users.
- NICE quality standards are not mandatory but they can be used for a wide range of purposes both locally and nationally. For example, patients and service users can use quality standards to help understand what high-quality care should include. Health care professionals and social care and public health practitioners can use quality standards to help deliver high quality care and treatment.
- NICE quality standards are not requirements or targets, but the health and social care system is obliged to have regard to them in planning and delivering services, as part of a general duty to secure continuous improvement in quality.
- Quality standard topics are formally referred to NICE by NHS England (an executive non-departmental public body, established in October 2012) for health-related areas, and by the Department of Health and Department for Education for areas such as social care and public health.
About NICE
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for driving improvement and excellence in the health and social care system. We develop guidance, standards and information on high-quality health and social care. We also advise on ways to promote healthy living and prevent ill health.
Our aim is to help practitioners deliver the best possible care and give people the most effective treatments, which are based on the most up-to-date evidence and provide value for money, in order to reduce inequalities and variation.
Our products and resources are produced for the NHS, local authorities, care providers, charities, and anyone who has a responsibility for commissioning or providing healthcare, public health or social care services.
To find out more about what we do, visit our website:www.nice.org.uk and follow us on Twitter: @NICEComms.
