Electronic medication reminders help elderly

PCTs in Staffordshire have started piloting a scheme where elderly people are reminded to take their medication with an electronic prompting device.

The Medicine Reminder Initiative, a collaboration between housing services, pharmacists, social services and Newcastle under Lyme and South West Staffordshire PCT, was started in order to give vulnerable people support in remembering when to take their medications, and give them the opportunity to talk to pharmacists abut their condition.

Telecare company Tunstall will provide Lifeline 4000+ units (right) to 50 people on the scheme. The device gives an audio and visual alert when the patient must take their medication, which must be acknowledged by pressing a button.

If the patient fails to acknowledge it, a central monitoring centre is alerted. The patient will then receive a visit or call from a relative or health professional.

Cathy Riley, head of medicines at South Western Staffordshire PCT said that the service was designed to make sure the elderly take their medication on time. "Research has shown that for patients with long term conditions, as many as half of prescribed medicines are not taken as prescribed."

Stuart Brook, Tunstall’s corporate director of Social Care and Health, explained how the pilot was being organised: "Professionals from the health sector, social care, or housing, identify people who may benefit, then a local pharmacist assesses their suitability for the scheme.

"The pharmacist discussed which medicines they are currently taking, any concerns they may have with taking medicine, and then recommends whether or not the electronic reminder service should be installed."

Health professionals can access the Lifeline 4000+ unit by phone and configure it via a voice menu, saying how often and when the voice medication reminders are played.

The health and social care organisations are hoping that the system will be fully rolled out across Staffordshire and will continue after the pilot. The Medicines Partnership, the Department of Health organisation sponsoring the project, is looking into acquiring funding to do this, as well as recruiting a research student to analyse and evaluate the project.