PINCER

PINCER is the Pharmacist-led Information technology iNtervention for the reduction of Clinically important ERrors in medicines management

Why are we doing it?

Prescribing errors in general practice are an expensive, preventable cause of safety incidents, illness, hospitalisations and even deaths. Serious errors affect one in 550 prescription items, while hazardous prescribing in general practice contributes to around 1 in 25 hospital admissions. Outcomes of a trial published in the Lancet showed a reduction in error rates of up to 50% following adoption of PINCER.

Our aim is to help patients get the maximum benefit from their medicines whilst reducing the risk associated with particular types of medicines.

PINCER is a methodology for reducing medication errors, and thereby improving medication safety. Using clinical audit tools alongside quality improvement methodology to review groups of patients taking high risk medicines/combinations of medicines, PINCER ensures that any risks are mitigated.

Want to know more about PINCER?

Here in this short video, we outline the evidence behind the PINCER intervention and how your practice or PCN can reduce harm from medication errors.

Watch our video, and then access the PINCER searches by visiting PRIMIS (part of Nottingham University) here. 

By registering, you will be able to access the searches that can run in your GP clinical system. To access PINCER training in Wessex, contact Heather.Bowles@wessexahsn.net.

We are currently working with all CCGs across Wessex to enable access to the clinical audit tool along with the quality improvement methodologies that underpin the process. Excellent progress has already been made with more than two thirds of practices having already completed the audit cycle.

What’s happening in Wessex?

PINCER is one of the Medicines Optimisation projects selected for national adoption and spread across the AHSN Network in 2018-2020.

A more detailed evaluation of the PINCER rollout linked with Hospital Episode Statistics and ONS mortality data is being undertaken as part of a £2.43 million NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research (PRoTeCT).

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