Medicines Use Review Service

Your IPSA Pharmacy’s medicines use review (MUR) service aims to help you to better understand the medicines that you are taking, what they do and how those medicines work.

What is my IPSA Pharmacy’s medicines use review service?

This is a free service and involves a 20-minute private consultation in your IPSA Pharmacy with one of IPSA’s highly trained pharmacists. The focus will be on how you currently use your medicines. The aim of your MUR is to help you better understand the medicines that you are currently taking, how those medicines work and what they do. Your MUR also helps your IPSA pharmacist to identify any problems with your medications that you may be experiencing (e.g. side effects and/or interactions with the other medicines you are taking).
Your IPSA Pharmacy medicines use review is a great opportunity for you to:

Discuss with your IPSA pharmacist any worries you have
Ask your IPSA pharmacist questions about your medicines
Enquire about possible lifestyle changes

How will my IPSA Pharmacy medicines use review work?

Your IPSA Pharmacy MUR is simple:
If you have been taking medication for a chronic health condition and have been getting your medicine from your IPSA Pharmacy for over three of the previous months or if you are currently taking more than one regular medicine, then ask one of IPSA Pharmacy’s trained pharmacists for your MUR.
Your IPSA pharmacist might be able to complete your IPSA Pharmacy MUR while your medicines are being dispensed. If not, your IPSA pharmacist will arrange a convenient time for you to have your MUR.
You need to give your IPSA pharmacist a list with all of the medicines you are taking and this should include both prescribed medicines and any medicines you also buy from your IPSA Pharmacy or from elsewhere (including vitamins and supplements). This helps your IPSA pharmacist to offer you the best advice possible.

Why should I have a medicines use review?

Many people do take medicines regularly and most people have no concerns or side effects from their medicines. However, the NHS does recommend certain groups of patients might benefit from an annual MUR:

Those taking prescribed medicines regularly
Those taking medicines for long-term conditions (e.g. arthritis, epilepsy, diabetes, asthma or coronary heart disease)
Those recently having been discharged from hospital

Your medicines can sometimes produce negative side effects (e.g. coughing, headaches or breathlessness). With some combinations of medicines, sometimes one medicine might affect another you are taking to produce side effects. Some medicines are difficult to use, requiring a particular technique to get the most from them. Some clients might find it difficult to take their medicines because of packaging issues. The goals of your IPSA Pharmacy MUR are:

To ensure the medicines you are taking are right for you
To ensure that you are taking your medicines correctly (thus getting the maximum benefit from them)

Your IPSA Pharmacy MUR includes assessing if you should take fewer medicines or if you need to change one or more of your current medicine/s

How will my IPSA Pharmacy MUR impact my GP?

The IPSA Pharmacy MUR service is an NHS service that has been designed to complement reviews you have with your current GP (or IPSA physician). Your medicines will not be changed without both your and your GP’s or IPSA physician’s approval.

Where will my IPSA Pharmacy medicines use review take place?

Most of IPSA Pharmacy’s MURs take place in our private consultation room. This means that you have privacy and can freely and openly discuss your medicines with your IPSA pharmacist without the worry of being overheard. You can also bring a friend or a family member along with you if you think that this would make your IPSA Pharmacy visit more comfortable. Let your IPSA pharmacist know prior to your visit if you want to bring someone along with you for your MUR.

What happens during my IPSA Pharmacy medicines use review?

Your IPSA pharmacist will have a fairly informal discussion about your medicines with you. What do you know about your medicines? When do you take your medicines? How do you take your medicines? Your IPSA pharmacist may also ask you some other questions, such as: