title: Children/young people taking long-term medication: a survey of community pharmacists' experiences in England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether community pharmacists undertake medication reviews with children/their carers and to identify the type of medication-related experiences presented to them when a child is taking long-term medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 13 question semi-structured survey was posted to 354 England-based community pharmacists with telephone follow-up/repeat mailing of non-responders. Participants were asked about their practice as a community pharmacist over the preceding 12 months to children/young people, or their carers, taking long-term medication. The questionnaire covered: medication review, reported adherence, information requests, adverse effects, administration and obtaining medication supplies. The data were analysed using SPSS version 22 and NVivo version 10.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 76/354 (21.5%). Eighteen (23.7%) respondents had undertaken a Medicines Use Review (MUR) and 22 (28.9%) a New Medicines Service (NMS) medication review with a child/their carer. Participants reported that patients/their carers had presented to them with non-adherence including stopping medication (24, 31.6%) and changing the dose (28, 36.8%). Respondents were directly asked about the indication (59, 77.6%), dose regimen (63, 82.9%), administration (64, 84.2%) and adverse effects (58, 76.3%) of prescribed medication. Respondents reported patients/carers experiencing difficulties obtaining medication from their community pharmacy (47, 61.8%) and patients' family doctors declining to prescribe a medication recommended by a specialist (27, 35.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medicines Use Review and NMS reviews are utilised by community pharmacists in children/their carers. The medication-related experiences presenting to community pharmacists could fall within the purview of a medication review (MUR or NMS). There is scope to further extend this service to this group of patients/carers.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7532-198X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aston
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: David R P
authors.initials: DRP
authors.lastname: Terry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D024382:Professional Role; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: chronic medication; community pharmacy; medication review; pharmaceutical care; prescribed medicines