Northumberland firm donates medicines information software to help NHS tackle Covid-19

Ashington-based Mistura Informatics is offering MaPPs (Medicines: A Patient Profile Summary), their online resource that provides up-to-date medicine information.

Developed by former NHS pharmacist’s Dawn Price and Stephen Bazire MBE, MaPPs is an online resource that provides a simplified 300-word patient information summary on over 6,000 medicines available in the UK.

MaPPs’ aims to help patients take their medication more effectively by providing an easy to understand explanation about their medicine, how to take it and any warnings or possible adverse side effects to look out for.

The MaPPs system can also be used to automatically generate MRCs (Medicine Reminder Charts) which enable patients to track their medicines with a clear schedule of how and when to take them.

There are also MARs (Medicines Administration Records) for carers to record when medicines have been given.

MaPPs is currently installed in over 100 organisations including hospital trusts, pharmacies and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG’s), with a further 14 brought on board since the service has been made available free-of-charge.

At a time when NHS resources are under pressure, alternative staff are being deployed to face the unparalleled challenges of a global health pandemic, quickly discharging patients with the best possible medicine’s information couldn’t be more important.

If a patient takes their medicine correctly, it reduces the risk of readmission due to non- compliance or adverse side effects.

Managing director, Dawn Price said: “As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to ramp up pressure on the NHS, frontline staff will become increasingly time-poor.

“When every minute counts, MaPPs reduces the time spent explaining medicines to patients, making the hospital discharge service faster and more efficient.

“Safeguarding patients’ wellbeing is paramount during this crisis. Our software will give people the tools to take their medication safely and effectively with a clear written record.”

A pilot exercise conducted with Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust found that 93% of responders understood the purpose of their new medication and its possible side effects two weeks after being discharged with a MaPPs leaflet. The patient’s understanding of their medication also increased, which improved overall discharge experience.

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