Funding for project to reduce instances of medication wrongly prescribed

A major project to reduce the risk of patients being prescribed the wrong medication is set to be rolled out across 150 East Midlands GP practices following a major funding award.

Thousands of people will benefit from PINCER, a project led by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust. The partnership working on it last week received news of £500,000 funding award from the Health Foundation with a further £117,000 already pledged by the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network.

PINCER provides each GP practice with access to a software system that automatically reviews existing prescriptions, and also offers expert support from a pharmacist.

Andrew Morgan, chief cxecutive of LCHS NHS Trust, said: “This award is tremendous news, especially considering that our project is one of just seven from around the country to receive it.”