First things first: let your staff know that you are going to be providing a new service. Explain to them what the service is, so they can be on the lookout for suitable patients who might benefit from an MUR.

The next thing is to let your local GPs know about the service. Write them a letter, explaining what an MUR is and how it can benefit their patients, or arrange to meet with them. The last thing you want is for them to not know what to do with the MUR forms you are going to be sending them! Information leaflets can be downloaded from PSNC’s website by clicking here.

Advertise your service. How about printing some flyers to put into prescription medicine bags, and a poster for your window? Your PCT may be able to help, and there are free leaflets available from the Department of Health.
 
The NPA might also be able to help through its Ask Your Pharmacist scheme.

Work out whether you want to provide MURs via an appointment system or opportunistically. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages: if you ask patients to call in at a certain time, you can ensure you’ll have the time to spend with them, but there is always the danger that the patient won’t turn up; the opportunistic approach means that the patient is in the pharmacy, but you may not have the time to speak to them.

If you work on an appointment basis it might be worthwhile to get business cards/appointment cards printed, with the telephone number so they can phone to cancel if necessary/act as a reminder. Create a booking diary, which all the staff can access and enter appointments into.

Get your paperwork in order. Following grumbles that the original MUR form took too long to complete and could be confusing for all concerned, a two-page version was introduced in 2007. The NHS MUR form (version 2) can be downloaded here. Alternatively, you may want to use self-carbonating MUR forms (call the NPA, AAH, or UniChem), or the electronic form, available here.

Make sure you have up-to-date resources to hand during consultations, so you can answer any queries your patients may have. If you have a computer in your consulting area, make sure you bookmark useful websites such as the BNF, Clinical Knowledge Summaries, and C+D’s MUR tips index. If not, make sure you have some good references available, that you know well.

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