title: Review of non-medical prescribing among acute and community staff.
abstract: All employers of non-medical prescribers (NMPs) have a duty to ensure they remain competent and current, and have access to relevant continuing professional development as identified through their staff appraisals. This article describes a survey that was undertaken to evaluate non-medical prescribing in one trust that operates an acute district hospital and community services. Five themes emerged from the results: prescribing activity, patient safety, effect of non-medical prescribing on care, workforce planning and organisational support. The findings also suggested that most NMPs surveyed were compliant with local and national policy. Non-compliance was addressed through line manager intervention. Support for NMPs must be addressed at organisational level to ensure safety of all stakeholders.
authors.affiliation: Great Western Hospital, Swindon.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Winter
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom