MONASH University's Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (CMUS) is set to investigate embedding pharmacists in residential aged care facilities, after securing $2 million through the Medical Research Future Fund.
As part of the project, pharmacists will work as "knowledge brokers" to deliver evidence-based recommendations to boost the safe and effective use of psychotropic medications in people living with dementia, in response to the aged care sector's over-reliance on chemical restraints highlighted in by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Project lead and CMUS Director, Professor Simon Bell, said rates of psychotropic medication used in aged care "remain high, despite an overall lack of evidence for benefits and well-established risks".
"New models of evidence-translation are needed to ensure safe and effective medication management," he said.
"Pharmacist knowledge brokers will work in close partnership with nurses, GPs, residents and their families to provide training in managing changed behaviours and to coordinate education using evidence-based resources.
"If employing pharmacists as knowledge brokers to address evidence-practice gaps proves successful, the model may be suitable for translating clinical practice guidelines in other therapeutic areas."
The study is set to be conducted over four years in partnership with the University of Queensland, Flinders University and University of Sydney, alongside five aged care providers in Western Australia, Victoria, NSW and Queensland, and specialist aged care pharmacy groups, Gunn & McConville in Victoria, and Aspect Health in Queensland.
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