ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pharmacovigilance directive 2010/84/EU focused attention on medication errors and encouraged regulators to identify causing and contributing factors. OBJECTIVES: (1) To study opinions of doctors/pharmacists on factors bearing a causal link to MEs as well as ways to minimise MEs (2) to test whether differences in opinion exist between subgroups of doctors and pharmacists working in community, hospital or office settings. METHODS: Different questionnaires were circulated to doctors and pharmacists. Respondents were subdivided according to their primary practice. RESULTS: 320 responses were received (204 doctors/116 pharmacists). Differences in opinion reaching statistical significance were observed on distractions from staff, overwork and fatigue, availability of technical resources and having more than 1 doctor on duty. For pharmacists', differences on issues of generic medicine availability and interruptions were found. CONCLUSION: Distractions and interruptions while executing tasks was flagged as an area requiring attention. Issues of overwork and fatigue affect especially doctors in hospital the majority of which are of the opinion that regulatory control on patient numbers could minimize errors. Increasing technical resources and keeping knowledge up-to-date, addressing overwork and high patient workloads have been identified as important areas when looking to reduce MEs.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Medication Errors/statistics & numerical data , Pharmacists/psychology , Physicians/psychology , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Malta , Middle Aged , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling , Socioeconomic Factors , Workplace/psychologyABSTRACT
Until recently, the care of persons with mental disorder in Malta was regulated by mental health legislation enacted in 1976. This was closely modelled on the 1959 British Mental Health Act. Now, the Mental Health Act 2012 is being implemented in two steps, in 2013 and 2014. The paper reviews its provisions.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To identify medication errors in the Maltese pharmacovigilance database and describe the frequency and characteristics of these events. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of the Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) reported over 5 years in Malta was conducted. Medication errors were identified by comparing use against the product's Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and then classified by type of medication error, seriousness and the stage of the medication use chain at which they occurred. RESULTS: 319 consolidated ADE reports met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. 56/319 consolidated ADEs were associated with serious patient harm. The 80-89 and the 50-59 age groups were associated with most medications used in error. 65% of errors originated in the community. Errors were identified in prescribing (52%), therapeutic monitoring (26%), patients' own (12%), dispensing (7%) and administration (3%) stages. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antibiotics were most commonly used in errors involving wrong doses, lack of therapeutic monitoring, interactions; contra-indications, prescribing for an unlicensed indication as well as an inappropriate duration of therapy. CONCLUSION: Pharmacovigilance databases are a useful source of information on medication errors and can be used to detect risks associated with the use of medicinal products.
