Transfer of Care Around Medicines

This programme of work is now complete, please contact [email protected] with any queries.


The AHSN NENC is aware that many trusts nationally are considering the use of the Transfer of Care Around Medicines (TCAM) project to support effective early discharge of patients during the COVID-19 crisis.

What is Transfer of Care Around Medicines?

When some patients leave hospital they can need extra support taking their prescribed medicines. This may be because their medicines have changed or they need a bit of help taking their medicines safely and effectively. The transfer of care process is associated with an increased risk of adverse effects. 30-70% of patients experience unintentional changes to their treatment or an error is made because of a miscommunication.

Who might benefit the most from a TCAM referral?

The TCAM project aims to reduce risk by referring patients who need extra support through a safe and secure digital platform for advice from their local community pharmacist following discharge from hospital. As shown in the evaluation linked below, original work carried out by The AHSN NENC showed that patients who see their community pharmacist after they’ve been in hospital are less likely to be readmitted and, if they are, will experience a shorter stay.

New transfer of care initiative of electronic referral from hospital to community pharmacy in England: a formative service evaluation

The AHSN NENC’s ambition is to ensure that this pathway is available to patients in all Trusts across our region.

Implementation of TCAM across the NENC

Trusts in the NENC region who are yet to implement TCAM will continue to be supported by the AHSN NENC to establish a TCAM Pathway, enabling all suitable patients to be referred to their community pharmacy or GP pharmacist where appropriate. This will involve the implementation of PharmOutcomes, a web based system produced by Pinnacle Health which enables community pharmacies to provide services more effectively and make it easier for commissioners to audit and manage these services.

PharmOutcomes is available as an online or integrated version with an associated licence fee for both versions. To support trusts to take up the TCAM offer, the AHSN NENC  will pay the PharmOutcomes license fee for the first year. Where a trust is unable to integrate the system quickly, Pinnacle Health has kindly offered to allow integration within the first-year license term free of charge. This ensures that all trusts can take up the TCAM offer using the online version and then plan the integration during their first year of use.

The AHSN NENC will also grant £1500 of funds to each of the Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) for infrastructure to facilitate the implementation.

Further information

Should you require any further information, or to express interest in taking up this offer, please contact  Liz Brown, Health Programme Manager, AHSN NENC on [email protected].

Resources

TCAM evidence summary

Evaluating the Connect with Pharmacy web‑based intervention to reduce hospital readmission for older people

Transfer of Care Case Studies from Dorset and Newcastle 

PJ Cornwall study Feb 2020

Integrated Referrals to Community Pharmacy Implementation Support Pack