Pharmacists who took part in C+D’s Twitter debate last week (April 22) highlighted the need for a culture change to improve medicines use reviews (MURs), and called for a new approach to the service to counter allegations of abuse.

Community pharmacist Chris Bonsell suggested that the profession needs to change the way it looks at MURs, and stressed pharmacists should not consider the 400 limit as a target. 

@CandDAnnabelle I feel we have started to look at MURs the wrong way. 400 is a limit, not a target. There needs to be a culture change

— Chris Bonsell (@ChrisBCPPE) April 22, 2016

Pharmacist Emily Bond said that companies, as well as contractors and individual pharmacists, need to be held accountable by the regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). 

#MURabuse make organisations accountable to gphc so individuals can report undue pressure to perform

— Emily Bond (@EmilyJaneBond82) April 22, 2016

While a pharmacist tweeting as Mr G suggested that payments for the service should be changed.

@CandDLilian @ChemistDruggist or link the payments to measurable positive health outcome #MURabuse

— Mr G (@pill_saurus) April 22, 2016

#MURabuse targets creates a culture of bullying

— Sushil Sharma (@sushvilla) 28 April 2016

@broganjoe69 integration of MUR across professions leading to appropriate referral into community pharm would be a good solution. #MURabuse

— Carrickpharmacy (@Carrickpharmacy) 22 April 2016

This is the latest in a series of articles exploring the issue of MUR abuse, following on from our Twitter debate. For all of the coverage on #MURabuse, see our dedicated page.

Can the professional culture around MURs be changed?

We want to hear your views, but please express them in the spirit of a constructive, professional debate. For more information about what this means, please click here to see our community principles and information