MURs

UPDATE: 1st September 2020

It is now possible to deliver an MUR over the phone or by video without the contractor having to seek prior approval from NHSE&I. This should only happen where it is clinically appropriate to do so, and in circumstances where the conversation cannot be overheard by others (except by someone whom the patient wants to hear the conversation, for example a carer). However, contractors still cannot deliver MURs remotely i.e. away from the pharmacy premises without completion of the PREM2 as previously.

Verbal consent can now be obtained and a record of that made in the pharmacy's clinical record for the service

UPDATE: 1st June 2020

The NHS South East Regional Team published guidance on how to gain approval for telephone MURs in recognition of the difficulties currently experienced by community pharmacies in delivering this service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UPDATE: 1st October 2019

From 1st October 2019, targeted MUR Criteria has changed

The service:

Medicines Use Review (MUR) is a service which can be offered to patients by community pharmacists under the Advanced Services of the pharmacy contract; it is also referred to as a Prescription Interventon Service dependent on whether it is a planned or opportunistic consultation and it's outcomes.

The aim of the Service is to achieve a concordant approach to medicine taking by:

• identifying, discussing and resolving poor or ineffective use of their medicines;
• identifying side effects and drug interactions that may affect patient compliance;
• improving the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of prescribed medicines and reducing medicine wastage.

A self-accreditation form can be accessed here (PREM1). The form must be completed and sent to the Wessex Area Team together with copies of MUR Certificates for each pharmacist (including locums) intending to deliver the service. The Area Team will be monitoring compliance with these criteria during a monitoring visit. If pharmacists wish to conduct MURs off premises, they must first fulfill all accreditation criteria and apply to their Area Team for permission using form PREM2. Guidelines on MURs are available from the PSNC website.

Pharmacist Accreditation

Accreditation can be obtained through a number of sources:

• The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE); additional guidance is available by clicking here; (for Hints & Tips on Successful Accreditation )
• Medway School of Pharmacy Skills for MURs programme.

MUR Top Tips are available for many conditions on the Chemist and Druggist website

A new MUR Training resource is available online at: www.murtraining.co.uk/

The NPA and GSK have worked together on two CD-ROM training initiatives: Communications Skills 2 and MURs - making them happen. Both of these are available free of charge to NPA members by contacting the GSK Customer Service Centre on 0800 221441.

Consultation Area

The three criteria for accreditation are:

• The consultation area is a designated area where both the patient and pharmacist can sit down together;
• The patient and pharmacist are able to talk at normal speaking volumes without being overheard by other visitors to the pharmacy, or by pharmacy staff undertaking their normal duties;
• The consultation area is clearly designated as an area for confidential consultations, distinct from the general public areas of the pharmacy.

Whilst not a requirement for MURs, it is recommended that contractors invest in a consultation area which will meet the potential criteria to deliver future commissioned Enhanced Services including an appropriate sink, a networked computer for pharmacist access to patients records during consultations, a panic alarm button and create an inviting, but professional environment. An NPA document on Making Best Use of Consultation Areas is now available.

Below, we have produced referenced indexes for all other important MUR related information, documents and resources that we have uploaded into various CPSC news articles published:

- The indexes are automatically created in date order (newest at the top)