Medication management in English National Health Service hospitals.
OBJECTIVE
The methods currently used by English National Health Service (NHS) hospitals to manage the use of medicines were studied.


METHODS
A questionnaire was mailed to directors of pharmacy at all English NHS hospitals in May 2001.


RESULTS
The response rate was 57% (157/ 275). Sixty-six percent of the responding hospitals provided general acute care services, and 34% provided mental health services. About 1 responder in 5 (19%) was a specialty hospital functioning either as a freestanding institution or alongside other hospitals. The average total expenditure by the hospital trusts was pound 94 million (dollar 175 million), of which drugs accounted for pound 3.5 million (dollar 6.5 million). Many hospitals either had formularies or were constructing them (86%), and most hospitals used a process to manage the introduction of new medicines. About three fourths of the hospitals had < or = 20 pharmacist full-time equivalents. The implementation of national guidelines was variable, although some of this variation may have been due to differences in service provision. Few hospitals were actively monitoring compliance with guidelines (31%), but audits of current care were common (72%).


CONCLUSIONS
A survey of English NHS hospitals provided information on pharmacy staffing, drug expenditures, and measures taken to ensure rational medication use.
Cooke
Jonathan
J
Withington Hospital, South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nell Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LR, United Kingdom. jonathan.cooke@man.ac.uk
Mason
Anne R
AR
Drummond
Michael F
MF
Towse
Adrian K
AK
D032802:Committee Membership; D003363:Cost Control / Q000379:methods; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires