New Laois hospital campaign urges people to know, check and ask about medicines

Olivia Lafferty, Quality & patient safety Manager, Caitriona Gowing Chief Pharmacist, Ita Kinsella Director of Midwifery, Margaret Rice Clinical Skills Facilitator.

placeholder image — Olivia Lafferty, Quality & patient safety Manager, Caitriona Gowing Chief Pharmacist, Ita Kinsella Director of Midwifery, Margaret Rice Clinical Skills Facilitator.

A news medication safety campaign for the public was launched by staff at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise who raised awareness of correct medicines use to mark World Patient Safety Day on September 17.

As part of the initiative, patients in Laois are being encouraged to ask their pharmacist, doctor or nurse if they have any questions about their medications.

To remind local people of this important message, the HSE says the hospital has just launched the ‘Know Check Ask’ medication safety campaign, on the screens in the outpatient department. Patients are also being encouraged to download a My Medicines list by clicking on this link …. https://bit.ly/3RQGggS

The form can then be filled in so that patients have their personal medicine list, to aid communication at hospital appointments and admissions.

Olivia Lafferty, Quality Risk & Patient Safety Manager, outlined the aim of the new campaign.

“The Know, Check, Ask campaign encourages and empowers patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals to take an active role in ensuring safer medicine practices and medication use processes including prescription, preparation, dispensing, administration and monitoring. Using the right medication at the right time in the correct way is in everyone’s best interest,” she said.

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Michael Knowles, General Manager at MRHP, said medication safety is one of the priority safety programmes within Portlaoise hospital.

"Introducing the ‘Know,Check, Ask’ Campaign to our healthcare professionals, patients and their families demonstrates our commitment to implementing best practices and quality improvement initiatives that provide for a supportive environment for safe, high-quality care. I would like to acknowledge the work of our Quality Risk and Patient Safety team and all staff for their support in raising awareness of this important initiative,” said Mr Knowles. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured are: Sandra McCarthy Director of Nursing, Michael Villanueva Staff Nurse, Anthony Arthur Staff Nurse, Fiona Smullen Clinical Nurse Manager 1, Kelly Kiernan Student Nurse, Mary Fitzpatrick, Partnering with patient Co-ordinator.

As part of the medication safety awareness initiative at MRHP, a special lecture was also held for staff during which presentations were made by Ms Lafferty, Margaret Rice Clinical Skills Facilitator, and Caitriona Gowing, Chief Pharmacist. An awareness stand was also set up in the hospital.

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The HSE says WHO says that medication harm accounts for 50% of the overall preventable harm in medical care .

Further resources are available on the HSE website. Support is also available by email, [email protected]