Transfers of care around medicines

Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) are supporting NHS Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) to roll out the Transfers of Care Around Medicines (TCAM) project. When patients discharged from hospital are identified as needing extra support, they are referred through a safe and secure digital platform for advice from their usual community pharmacist. 

Evidence from TCAM projects around England shows that patients who see their community pharmacist after they have been in hospital are less likely to be readmitted and, if they are, will experience a shorter stay. There is variability in the systems being used and the types of patients being referred through TCAM across the country, but as more NHS Trusts introduce the system, more referrals will be made to community pharmacies.

The NHS Discharge Medicines Service has been introduced to promote a consistent approach by community pharmacies in supporting patients referred on discharge from hospital or other care settings providing secondary care in the community, such as mental health ‘virtual wards’.