Citation: Radcliffe E et al (2025) How to deprescribe in primary care and reduce polypharmacy. Advice is available to help clinicians deprescribe during medication reviews – for instance, The King’s Fund’s Polypharmacy and Medicines Optimisation report and Health Improvement Scotland’s polypharmacy guidance. They noted that their study drew on findings from countries where pharmacists do not prescribe and were not usually part of the primary care team. The role of pharmacists in the UK has evolved; evidence suggests that integrating pharmacists into primary care reduces both GP appointments and emergency department attendance, but increases overall use of primary care (Hayhoe et al, 2019). Pharmacists have a central role in deprescribing, but other primary care clinicians, including nurse practitioners and social prescribers, could be involved.

Source: The Times April 08, 2025 15:18 UTC