Project Name: Homecare service assessment and redesign

Project Summary:

The homecare market is a growing market with patient numbers increasing by approximately 20% year on year. There are currently an estimated 275,000 homecare patients in the UK with an estimated spend of £2.1bn which is comprised of approximately 90 – 95% of that amount being the drug spend and 5-10% being the delivery costs.1

Over the years many NHS Trusts have struggled to support the increase in homecare patient numbers with existing pharmacy staff and structures. NHS manages the service Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and manages the governance of the service from both NHS and pharmaceutical supplier commissioned services.

Whilst the prescriptions are generated by the clinical teams, the clinical check and processing of the prescription, including invoice management is undertaken by pharmacy departments.

Since the Covid Pandemic Homecare options have become more favourable with Health Care Professionals (HCPs), which has put added pressure on the resources within a pharmacy department. Patients requiring homecare services have grown exponentially over the last 18 months from 4,000 to 8,000 patients in Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals. Many Trusts have taken the measure to limit the number of new homecare schemes until they can be administered in a safe environment.

Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals have already sourced a digital solution, the CMM Homecare Module, but due to lack of staffing resource to implement the system resource or re-allocation of pharmacy resources is needed. With digitisation and more alignment on staffing skill sets, capacity could be released which could be utilised in the current homecare resource. To address the above challenges, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals and Novartis have established a Collaborative Working Project

The expected outcomes from the project will be as follows:

Phase 1

  • Implement CMM Homecare Module, with primary focus of homecare for patients diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Time and Motion for homecare pharmacy services
  • Root cause analysis and service mapping report completed
  • Short, Medium, Long term strategy for their Homecare Service by therapy area
  • Immediate Homecare Service activity  

Phase 2

  • Based on Phase 1 output, implement short term strategies related to MS from the outcomes of the time and motion report to increase efficiencies

Phase 3

  • Publish case study of how to improve pharmacy efficiency.
  • Creation of a project template for other services to replicate the activity by way of publishing the CW outputs by the NHS

 Expected Patient Benefits:

  • Allows patients access to new therapies delivered closer to home and choose where they collect their prescription, aligned to the Long term plan.
  • Measurable outcome: Patients are enrolled onto the homecare delivery programme and having medicines delivered at home.
  • With a wider choice and access to innovative medicines closer to home.

Start Date & Duration: August 2022 – 18 months

References:

1. NHMC proposal for Funding of Pharmacy Homecare Teams by Commissioners National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC)

UK | August 2022 | 510445