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Medication Optimisation in Multimorbidity
Dr Carol Sinnott and Prof Colin Bradley, Department of General Practice hosted a successful inaugural meeting on Medication Optimisation in Multimorbidity in the Glucksman Gallery, University College Cork on September 18th.
Dr Martin Duerden, co-author of the King’s Fund* report on Polypharmacy and Medicines Optimisation opened the day by reviewing the challenges presented by polypharmacy He was followed by Stewart Mercer, Professor of Primary Care Research, University of Glasgow’s who gave an account of the Deep End project, which aims to deliver person centred care for multimorbidity in areas of deprivation. Dr Molly Byrne, Health Research Board Research Leader, NUI Galway discussed the role of behavioural theory in designing interventions to help health care professionals meet the challenges of polypharmacy in patients with multiple chronic diseases. Prof Susan Smith, HRB Centre for Primary Care Research, RCSI spoke of the potential for occupational therapy and pharmacists in the on-going care of multimorbidity. Prof Stephen Byrne, UCC gave an overview of the €6Millon EU FP7 funded SENATOR (Software ENgine for the Assessment & optimization of drug and non-drug Therapy in Older peRsons) trial that he and UCC colleagues are co-ordinating. Dr Rupert Payne, University of Cambridge gave us food for thought with his presentation on Re-defining Polypharmacy. A number of early career researchers from the disciplines of pharmacy, general practice and health services research in UCC and RCSI also presented their work on the day.
The meeting provided a forum for information sharing, with lively open floor discussion throughout the day, helping to tease out issues and potential solutions in research on this complex area of general practice. The costs of the meeting were met by a grant obtained by Dr Sinnott from the Irish Research Council on foot of her soon to be published work exploring general practitioners decision making about prescribing for patients with multiple morbidity.
*The King’s Fund is a UK based independent charitably funded think tank on health matters.
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