Taking medicines can be complicated, especially when you’re taking multiple medicines. A Home Medicines Review (HMR) can help make sure your medicines are safe and working well for you.
A HMR involves you, your doctor and a specially trained pharmacist from Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy working together to help you manage your medicines. The pharmacist will visit you in your home and go through your medicines with you, or your carer. They will answer any questions and make suggestions to you and your doctor to help you get the most benefit from your medicines. Best of all, HMRs are conducted at no expense to you.
How Do HMRs Work?
The first step is to talk to your doctor about a home medicines review. If your doctor agrees a HMR would be useful, they will send a referral to Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy, and the pharmacist will call you to arrange a time to meet you in your home.
Before we visit you, it is helpful to make sure your medicines list is up to date, or gather together all the medicines you are taking. Remember to include any non-prescription medicines you buy from the pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, or order online, as well as any vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies you take. Don’t forget to include any inhalers, patches, creams, and eye or ear drops.
When the pharmacist visits you they will talk to you or your carer about all the medicines you are taking and answer any questions you have. After the visit, the pharmacist will write a report for your doctor. Your doctor will then discuss the report with you and write a plan for the management of your medicines. If necessary, the pharmacist who visited you may contact you again to check on how you are managing and make up to two follow-up visits to see you.
For more information about Home Medicines Review, please visit the pharmacy or talk with your GP.