Medication review, polypharmacy and deprescribing: Results of a pilot scoping exercise in undergraduate and postgraduate education

Background: As part of tackling polypharmacy, effective medication review and safe deprescribing are key to World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 3rd Global Patient Safety Challenge. There is little information about whether this occurs consistently in pharmacy medicine courses England. Objective: To create a snapshot review, polypharmacy educational activity small number university for medicines, non-medical prescribing. Method: The authors undertook pilot scoping exercise by emailing colleagues schools across England course inclusion deprescribing. 11 universities, describing 17 programmes, responded (eight undergraduate pharmacy, four medicine, postgraduate one prescribing course). Data were categorised as: programme content, tools support deprescribing, learning outcomes, future intentions teaching. Results: results suggested variation what was being taught. Conclusion: In order address both national international agenda, the suggest that training area consistency curricula crucial adequately equipping our workforce be fit purpose.