The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published a report that highlights a number of key concerns in relation to the use of medicines in care homes in Great Britain.

The report was commissioned by the GPhC to inform and support a wider discussion about the roles that pharmacy professionals and community pharmacies can play in ensuring the safety and general health and wellbeing of care home residents receiving medication.

The report identifies a number of issues relating to safe medicines management in care homes including prescribing, dispensing, administrating and monitoring medicines. Recommendations include:

· A stronger, more integrated role for pharmacy professionals in care homes is needed, along with a stronger relationship between care home, community pharmacy and GP
· Medicines management could be improved through appropriate staff training and more effective use of the medicines review process
· Better systems need to be in place to share clinical data between settings and health professionals.

The full report is available on the GPhC website.