Mobile MUR in Waikato

Waikato Community Pharmacy Group has introduced Mobile Medicine Use Review
service in response to the shortage of accredited pharmacists providing MURs in the
region.

Currently, a handful of locum pharmacists provide MURs across pharmacies in some
parts of the country. But Waikato's dedicated service is being claimed as the first of
its kind. It aims to offer MURs across all pharmacies and providers in the region.

Project manager Jane Abel says the idea for the mobile service came about as a result
of an evaluation the group undertook last year.

The evaluation was meant to explore community pharmacists' perceptions and
experiences of the Medication Management Service (MMS) in Waikato. It identified
an onerous accreditation process and the practical issues for sole practitioner
pharmacies as the main barriers to implementing the MMS.

"Hence, we proposed the 'mobile MUR Pharmacist' model to Waikato DHB and
secured funding to employ a full time pharmacist, with the aim of ensuring equitable
access to MUR for all populations throughout Waikato," Ms Abel says.

Angela Harwood is the accredited, full time mobile MUR pharmacist. She holds a
diploma in clinical pharmacy and was previously  involved with providing MUR
services  in Wellsford.

Ms Abel says having a dedicated pharmacist will help meet MUR referral demands
from GPs, hospital pharmacists, cardiac care unit and Waikato primary health's
healthright nurses.

The key features of the Mobile MUR service are:

• The service is prioritised to sole practitioner pharmacies and also to those in high
• need areas.
• Referrals are accepted from all health providers across Waikato.
• Due to Waikato's vast geographical area, a formalised appointment system may be
• introduced to ensure efficiency (eg, set days once a month in rural pharmacies).
• Mobile MUR will be a case management type service, with discussion pre and post
• consult with the patient's regular pharmacist and a case file provided following the
• review.
• The mobile pharmacist will undertake the initial review with the patient's regular
• pharmacist doing the follow-ups if they are MUR accredited.
• Another component of the service will be to promote the MMS to local healthcare
• providers (such as GP teams, district nurses, diabetes nurses etc) and to encourage
• pharmacists to complete their MUR accreditation.

Meanwhile, latest data from the New Zealand College of Pharmacists suggests 723
pharmacists have so far completed their MUR training, out of which 223 are now
accredited and ready to provide MURs.

<< Back