The RPS has today published new professional standards for homecare services to provide a best practice framework for the implementation and delivery of homecare services.
Homecare services, where medicines are provided to patients direct from the manufacturer, are increasingly being commissioned so the RPS, working with the Department of Health Homecare Strategy Board, has produced ten standards to ensure patient safety and the effective management of medicines delivered via the homecare route.
The standards will help patients experience a consistent quality of homecare services, irrespective of homecare provider, that will protect them from incidents of avoidable harm and help them to get the best outcomes from their medicines.
The standards will also support teams providing and commissioning homecare services to improve services continually and to shape future services and pharmacy roles to deliver quality patient care.
David Branford, Chair of the English Pharmacy Board said: “I am really delighted to see the publication of these Homecare standards which build on the Hackett report.
“What I particularly like about these standards is the recognition of the role and responsibilities of the Chief Pharmacist for all aspects of the service and the pivotal role for pharmacists at every stage of the process. They also link through well to the RPS hospital standards developed last year.”
Mark Hackett, Chair of the Department of Health Homecare Strategy Board and CEO University Hospital North Staffordshire NHS Trust said:
“The main aim of these standards is to ensure all patients receive safe and effective homecare services. I’d like to see them adopted by all providers and commissioners to make sure standards are raised and maintained in the future service provision.”
