CPPE has designed this campaign for pharmacy professionals to highlight the risks patients face if they are taking unnecessary or problematic medicines. Everyone has a role to play in spotting the risk factors for polypharmacy and taking action to ensure patients get the most from their medicines.
Use the arrows to scroll between the weekly challenges.
There are six challenges to get your teeth into. If you complete all six challenges you will receive the Polypharmacy learning campaign badge in your Badge collection in My CPPE.
Don't forget to sign up using the button below and encourage your colleagues and friends to take part too.
Think about a family member or friend who is taking lots of medicines. Have a conversation with them about the impact this has on their life. Ask them if there is one thing you could do to make their medicines less of a burden. Together, identify one priority issue that you could tackle. Listen to our podcast from a patient who is taking multiple medicines, and listen to what his priorities are.
Note down the priority issue you identified as part of this challenge and any other salient points.
Our e-challenge quiz on all things polypharmacy runs from 23 March to 6 April 2016. Take five minutes with your colleagues and complete this quiz. Find out how you can work with colleagues and patients to manage polypharmacy.
By mid-March you should have received your CPPE distance learning programme on polypharmacy. Take this week to familiarise yourself with its content. Polypharmacy is a broad area, and it requires a wide range of skills to manage the challenges and support patients who are taking multiple medicines. Identify where your knowledge gaps are so you can focus your learning over the next weeks of the campaign. There is also a series of articles in pharmacy magazines that focus on polypharmacy. Get your team engaged in reading about the issues of polypharmacy. Watch the patient videos that accompany the learning programme.
Training Matters
Polypharmacy: part one
Polypharmacy: part two
Polypharmacy: part three
Pharmacy Magazine
Polypharmacy article
Note down any gaps that you identify and what you intend to do over the coming weeks.
Organise an informal chat/meeting with another healthcare professional this week. Use the opportunity to discuss how you can work together to address the issues of polypharmacy. On 7 April 2016 we are hosting a Twitter chat with @WePharmacists at 8:00pm. Use the hashtag #polypharmacy to join in the discussions.
Share your approach and what you gained from your meeting, and find out how others are helping to tackle the issues of polypharmacy.
Not all patients will come into contact with a pharmacist on a regular basis, but they may come into contact with members of your team. Design a leaflet to advise people what to do if they are struggling with multiple medicines. This could be distributed by your counter assistants, delivery drivers, or perhaps the nurses and medics in a local walk-in centre or accident and emergency department.
Share your leaflet designs on Facebook or Twitter using #polypharmacy and paste a link to your post in the box below.
We are inviting you to make a pledge to do one thing that will make a difference to people taking multiple medicines. We have some great ideas for things you can do and pledges you can make. Your commitment will help show the impact that the pharmacy profession can make.
Challenge 6 is to make a pledge that will make a difference to people taking multiple medicines. Here are your pledges (latest 100 shown):
Omolara Taiwo
I will review all patients admitted to hospital who are taking multiple medicines to look for medicine-related problems that could contribute to admission.
11 May
Kathryn Harris
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
5 October
Lucy Brown
I will try to understand a patients experience of polypharmacy. I will try to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimising a patients medications.
30 August
Farida Mohiddin
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
27 April
Deborah Albert
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
2 January
Marika Forgione
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
17 June
Richard Buxton
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines. I will include the help of my team to promote the service we provide in being an 'ear' to the public and allowing them to share what's important to them about their medications. I will ensure that patients requiring a medication review are referred effectively to ensure they get the right care.
13 June
Samina Hafiz
I will review all patients admitted to hospital who are taking multiple medicines to look for medicine-related problems that could contribute to admission.
26 May
Jane Green
I will identify patients taking multiple medicines and commit to discuss with prescribers if they may be at risk of problematic polypharmacy
15 May
Anne-Marie Kitchen-Wheeler
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
14 May
Sharon Cutler
I will work more closely with staff in care homes and GPs involved in the prescribing medications for this particular group of patients to address the negative issues associated with polypharmacy.
14 May
Sarah Mapes
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
13 May
Joanne Morgan
I will try to identify and help patients who are experiencing polypharmacy
13 May
Rajbant Sangha
I will try and find out and understand how a patient feels about taking multiple medicatio
13 May
Laura Charman
I will review all patients admitted to hospital who are taking multiple medicines to look for medicine-related problems that could contribute to admission.
13 May
Ramaa Mathrubutham
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
13 May
Nahim Khan
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, ask questions and incorporate a screening tool in my day to day practice
12 May
Minal Shah
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
12 May
Katherine Emblin
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
12 May
Allan Littleton
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
12 May
Kathleen Pritchard
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
12 May
Ben Thompson
I will be looking more closely at the patient behind the prescription and what they may find difficult with there current medication. Not just clinical issues but timings and any confusing factors.
12 May
Amanda Fergus
I will target patients on multiple medicines for MUR, rather than avoiding because they are too time consuming
12 May
Philip Dawes
"I will work with my colleagues across my pharmacies to raise awareness of polypharmacy, involving staff in how they can identify at risk patients and encourage them to seek the help of the pharmacist."
12 May
Anam Azam
I want to work towards understanding patients needs and wants with in the different sectors of pharmcy and learn where I can help and add input where needed
12 May
Emma Wood
I pledge to share and promote awareness and problems with polypharmacy to pharmacy & acute medicine medical team and hope we reduce the amount of polypharmacy we often add to patients in the acute setting. Try and understand the burden of our decisions on our patients.
11 May
Katie Dore
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
11 May
Amy Armah
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
11 May
Natalie McGeachie
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
11 May
Karen Whiteley
I will listen carefully, and where I can deal with one issue at a time, and not try to fix every thing in one go. I will go on and make a difference to people/s quality of life where medication appliances and devices are issued
10 May
Arvindbhai Patel
I will try to understand a patient's experience of polypharmacy,starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
10 May
Katy Radford
I will focus more on the patients thoughts and experiences of taking multiple medications
10 May
Victoria Bull
Take time to explain to patients what their medicines are for. Have indications added to repeat medicines to help patients have more ownership and understanding of their medicines. Take a patient centred approach to medicines and help them to understand why they are taking these medicines.
9 May
Baljit Sahota
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
9 May
Anita Smith
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
9 May
Andrew Weaver
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
9 May
Naeima Khalique
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
9 May
Thao Lam
I will communicate any changes to a patient’s medicines clearly to other sectors, ensuring that review/stop dates are communicated to ensure medicines are not continued in error.
8 May
Harsha Somaiya
I will train all my staff to recognise people at risk of problematic polypharmacy and to flag up all patients taking multiple medicines.
8 May
Batul Roowala
simplifying dosing regime by offering support and reviewing the medicines that may not be required by the patient.
8 May
Harminder Chahal
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
8 May
Rachel Luk
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
8 May
Audrey Ghanney
I will focus more on the patients thoughts and experiences of taking multiple medications
7 May
Christopher Street
6 May
Ololade Teluwo
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
5 May
Christine Lea
I will communicate any changes to a patient’s medicines clearly to other sectors, ensuring that review/stop dates are communicated to ensure medicines are not continued in error.
5 May
Julie Craggs
I will communicate any changes to a patient’s medicines clearly to other sectors, ensuring that review/stop dates are communicated to ensure medicines are not continued in error.
5 May
Sarah Tuck
"I will focus my NMS and MURs more appropriately. I will allow the patient to guide me through there experience of taking their meds and try to agree a compromise that is best for them.
5 May
Deborah Williams
I will try to raise awareness of the support a pharmacy(both community and hospital) can offer to patients taking multiple medicines.
5 May
Katherine Oram
I will communicate any changes to a patient’s medicines clearly to other sectors, ensuring that review/stop dates are communicated to ensure medicines are not continued in error.
4 May
Cathryn Dawes
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
4 May
Leanne Fane
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
4 May
Olufunmilayo Ogunremi
I will communicate any changes to a patient’s medicines clearly to other sectors, ensuring that review/stop dates are communicated to ensure medicines are not continued in error.
4 May
Alexandra Bartley
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
4 May
Paul Machon
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
4 May
Nia Hopkins
I will listen to the needs and wants of the patient when conducting consultations and incorporate them into the shared goals of the polypharmacy review
3 May
Khadija Baxter
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
3 May
Shakeela Riaz
I will offer an medicines use review or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from polypharmacy. I will always ask patients if their medication causes disruption to their every day live, and try to come up with a solution that will help the patient.
3 May
Olivia Shaw
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
3 May
Usama Zafar
I will run a poster campaign to raise awareness of the support a pharmacy can offer to patients taking multiple medicines.
2 May
Maqsud Patel
i will try to identify patients with polypharmacy issues and offer an MUR to agree an action plan that will involve other healthcare professionals involved in the patients care.
2 May
Fernando Garcia Lozano Estudillo
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
2 May
Hannah Syed
I will review all patients admitted to hospital who are taking multiple medicines to look for medicine-related problems that could contribute to admission.
2 May
Gurkiran Ghatore
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
2 May
Linda Orton
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
2 May
Nitinkumar Shah
I will review all patients admitted to hospital who are taking multiple medicines to look for medicine-related problems that could contribute to admission.
2 May
Ewa Koprowska
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
2 May
Tanya Aubeeluck
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
1 May
Christine Bourne
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
1 May
Alfred Calland
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
1 May
Tracey Chambers
I will run a window display and poster in my shop inviting people to ask for help.
1 May
Margaret Nicholson
I will speak to one patient each week with a polypharmacy related issue, try to gain an understanding of how they feel about their medication with a view to making any changes I feel may benefit them.
1 May
Karen Blair
I will discuss with patients their medication and find out what matters to them. I will communicate these discussions to the multi disciplinary team
1 May
Sarah Sarling
I will run a poster campaign to raise awareness of the support a pharmacy can offer to patients taking multiple medicines.
1 May
Sangeeta Goyal
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
30 April
Sheetal Kotecha
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
30 April
Yvonne Taylor
I will work with the pharmacy team to help identify patients who have potential risk with multiple medications. I will use a patient centred approached to discuss the medications and help with any problems.
30 April
Caroline Richardson
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
30 April
Faiza Usama
I will communicate any changes to a patient’s medicines clearly to other sectors, ensuring that review/stop dates are communicated to ensure medicines are not continued in error.
30 April
Lucy Anderson
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
30 April
Suriya Marshall
I will train all my staff to recognise people at risk of problematic polypharmacy and to flag up all patients taking multiple medicines.
30 April
Panit Somhom
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
30 April
Aqib Khalil
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
30 April
Clare Spurling
I will flag up patients taking multiple medicines who may be at risk of problematic or inappropriate polypharmacy to the pharmacist for an MUR. I will also carry out an audit of patients taking high doses of Omeprazole and Lansoprazole whilst accuracy checking medication in care homes for possible inappropriate polypharmacy and flag to the pharmacist when carrying out PAV visits which I understand are adapting to a patient centred approach.
29 April
Brendon Jiang
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
29 April
Maninder Singh
I will promote the enagment mof the polpharmacy incentive sheme option we are running this year in our are for 2016/17
29 April
Pedro Alves Bandeira
I will work with the multidisciplinary team to communicate issues and make recommendations regarding optimisation of multiple medicines.
29 April
Julie Stewart
I will approach patient consultations in a more holistic patient-centered way, by not only looking at the medicines taken, but considering all aspects of the patient's life, including lifestyle, nutrition and mental health
29 April
Alaa Elawad
I will train all my staff to recognise people at risk of problematic polypharmacy and to flag up all patients taking multiple medicines.
29 April
Danielle Strong
I will train my staff to recognise people at risk
29 April
Mahua Das
I will offer an MUR or medication review to all patients who are taking multiple medicines and may be at risk from problematic polypharmacy.
29 April
Chloe Stokes
I will communicate any changes to a patient’s medicines clearly to other sectors, ensuring that review/stop dates are communicated to ensure medicines are not continued in error.
29 April
Layla Fattah
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
29 April
Joanne Lane
I will encourage pharmacy professionals to take a patient centred approach to explore patient's experiences of polypharmacy and the impact upon them and what is important for them as an individual.
28 April
Patrick Mok
I will continue to discuss with my patients' experience on polypharmacy, especially problematic polypharmacy and discuss if they feel they need those medication such as antidepressants and benzodiazepines
28 April
Femeeda Padhani
Will work with local GP to identify patients at risk from polypharmacy issues to carry out MURS. To explore patients experience of taking mulltiple meds
28 April
Ilias Katsogiannis
i will be on the look out for more polypharmacy problems and i will try to find time to manage them
28 April
Hayley Jones
I will train my staff to flag up patients for MUR's where polypharmacy could be an issue. And take this opportunity to take a patient centre approach to discuss with them how they feel about being on multiple medications.
28 April
Gillian Hall
I will try to understand a patient’s experience of polypharmacy, starting by asking how a patient feels about taking multiple medicines.
28 April
Alexandra Zilisteanu
I will listen more , ask more and explain as much as I can the need of polypharmacy and try to help problematic polypharmacy
27 April
