MedEconomics: How to ... Improve treatment in care homes.

Dr Teresa Griffin explains how the Gold Standards Framework for end-of-life care works in practice.

A recent report commissioned by the DoH revealed that for seven out of 10 care home residents, mistakes are made with their medication.

Professor Nick Barber of London University who led the research says GPs, care home staff and pharmacists all have a role to play. But the greatest responsibility lies with GPs. However, with the right systems in place it is possible to deliver high-quality care without draining practice resources.

Practice workload

The Shrewsbury practice where I am a partner looks after 80 patients in the nearby Uplands nursing home that includes 40 dementia patients as well as palliative and intermediate beds.

The PCT pays the practice to look after the intermediate care beds and Uplands pays us for an additional session for the …