NHS Research into Patient-held Information about Medication

Patient-held information about medication – can you help the NHS find out what patients and carers think?

Some patients and carers use different types of patient-held information about medication (which we abbreviate to “PHIMed”) to help them remember their current medicines, and to show to healthcare professionals. This may be on paper or on an electronic device, and may be formal documents from healthcare providers, commercially available smartphone apps, or documents created by patients themselves. We would like to find out how PHIMed is used in practice, what helps and hinders its use, and what the important features are.

As part of this study we would like to carry out group interviews with patients, parents and carers to ask for their views and experiences with PHIMed. You are eligible to take part if you, or a person you care for, has taken medication for a long term condition for at least a year, whether or not you use handheld records about your medication. The discussion will take about 90 minutes. They will be held at 2-4pm on 10 April at BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, or at 10am – 12 noon on 18 April at Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith, London Participants will receive £10 for their time, travel expenses within Greater London and refreshments.

If you may be interested in taking part or would like more information please contact Dr Sara Garfield on sara.garfield@nhs.net or 07870546303

(This study is funded by Pharmacy Research UK and has been approved by East Midland – Nottingham 2 ethics committee, reference number 17/EM/047).