A report on a focus group discussion on the local implementation of Medicines Use Reviews (MURS)

Introduction
HERPRN is a pharmacy research network in England, providing support and research training enabling community pharmacists and their staff to undertake practice based research. The research focus is on quality improvement in the framework of the New Pharmacy Contract especially service evaluation, audit, service user experience and training needs.
Undertaking MUR’s is an advanced service provided by community pharmacists as part of the pharmacy contractual framework. The aim of the service is to achieve patient adherence in their medicine taking.
Objectives
To gain feedback from an exploratory discussion with local community pharmacists about their experiences of undertaking MUR’s retrospectively during a one year period. To generate further research questions on MUR provision.
Research method
As part of an educational meeting hosted by HERPRN, a purposive sample of pharmacists representing multiples, independent and locum pharmacists was convened for a focus group to discuss MUR’s. The focus group was moderated by a non-pharmacist independent qualitative researcher as well as being co-moderated by the presenting author.
Preliminary findings
• Pharmacists would welcome clarification about the extent of their clinical input and responsibilities following an MUR.
• Redesigning the form would make it more user friendly.
• Logistically, pharmacists experienced difficulty in maintaining normal pharmacy services and providing an MUR service.
• Pharmacists felt that inadequate information was given to GPs and other health professionals about MUR’s, which they felt had impacted on the quality of communication and follow-up on action plans.
• People who would benefit from MUR’s (e.g., the housebound) are not easily provided for within the present system.
Conclusion
Local pharmacists believe that further research into MUR provision will be of benefit. Pharmacists and prescribers attitudes and experiences should be further explored.