‘Everyone should feel confident to ask about their medicines’
Welcome to the latest news from the Me and My Medicines campaign which encourages people to adopt the Medicines Communication Charter. The aim of which is to achieve more effective and safer use of medicines.
@MeAndMyMeds now has 447 followers on Twitter.
July 4th, 2018: An opportunity to discuss the Me and My Medicines campaign with the Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust (LYPFT) Service User Network. There was clear support and endorsement for encouraging greater and authentic involvement and further follow on activity is planned through the Pharmacy Department and their representative who also attended the event.
July 24th, 2018: The Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) disucssed Me and My Medicines at their Critical Friends Network meeting which included patients and carers, Paramedics and Pharmacy staff. There was a lively discussion and recognition of the significant issues which often arise relating to the safe and proper use of medicines.
July 25th, 2018: Met with staff and volunteers at Feel Good Factor, a health and wellbeing organisation. There are many opportunities to meet and support people with a range of different wellbeing needs and there is potential to work with them to grow the patient and carer involvement in the development and dissemination of messages and materials for different communities in the city. Additional resources will be required to support this approach to helping more people to get more closely involved in the use of their medicines.
July 31st, 2018: Met with members of the STOMP (Stopping over medication of people with a learning disability, autism or both) team, in Leeds and shared experiences and similarities with the principles of authentic involvement of patients and carers. It was agreed to consider ways in which we can support each other in promoting effective involvement in the use of medicines.
September 13th, 2018: A lovely hour at a Livewell Leeds meeting in the local library meeting 20 people, both patients and carers, who meet on a regular basis as part a local scheme to support people with their health and wellbeing needs over and above routine care services.
September 25th, 2018: The West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership held an event showcasing the value and benefits of unpaid carers and Me and My Medicines was highlighted as an opportunity to address an important and challenging issue for carers.
September 26th, 2018: The NHS England Medicines Value Programme hosted an event aimed at voluntary organisations and the importance and opportunities to improve medicines safety. Me and My Medicines was well received as a simple and effective approach to helping people become more involved and take greater responsibility.
Yorkshire and Humber and Wessex AHSNs will be collaborating on work to make Me and My Medicines as easy as possible to access so that all those who are keen to address identified shortfalls in the appropriate, safe and effective use of medicines have resources available to help people become more involved and take greater responsibility.