New intervention prepares pharmacists for aged care governance

Description

The Aged Care On-Site Pharmacist (ACOP) program kicks off today (1 July 2024). To improve Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) in aged care, seven pioneering pharmacists have trained to become ‘knowledge brokers’ through the Australia-wide EMBRACE trial.

The participating pharmacists have received funding to work across 19 residential aged care facilities (RACFs) operated by four aged care providers to establish the new role, which entails implementing the latest research findings and guidelines to improve medicine safety. 

Led by Monash University’s Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, the 12-month trial – which kicked off in October 2023 – involves implementing Australia’s new Clinical Practice Guideline for the Appropriate Use of Psychotropic Medications in People Living with Dementia and in Residential Aged Care.