Pharmacist consultations with paediatric patients with epilepsy. V7
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the usefulness and feasibility of a pharmacist consultation, with the creation of an anti-epileptic timeline, on the care of children with epilepsy from the clinician and patient/carer perspective.
IRAS ID
181608
Contact name
Suzannah Hibberd
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Epilepsy is a long-term condition affecting approximately 600,000 people in the UK, 63,400 of these are 18 years or under, (Joint Epilepsy Council of the UK and Ireland, 2011). To get the greatest benefit from anti-epileptic medicines, patients and carers must receive appropriate medicines information. National guidance recommends that epilepsy patients have regular reviews, can access information regarding their medicines and make informed treatment choices.
Does having a pharmacist attend paediatric epilepsy clinics to provide a medication counselling service and construct a thorough epilepsy medication history, provide a benefit to the patients and clinicians?
The role of the pharmacist includes ensuring correct doses are prescribed, that the medication is suitable and to provide information to patients about their medication. This project will assess the impact of a pharmacist on the patient’s/carer’s knowledge of their medicines. The pharmacist will meet with the patient/carer before their appointment with the doctor. A patient specific detailed history of their epilepsy medicines will be created and its value to both the patient and the doctor will be assessed using questionnaires.
The expertise of the pharmacist will be used to confirm the patient’s medication history, which will include: medicines tried; maximum doses achieved; side effects experienced and the patient’s/carer’s perceived benefits. This information is generally difficult to find in one place. A copy of this history will go to the doctor and patient/carer. The doctor will be able to use this history to determine the impact of previously prescribed medication helping to develop a clear treatment plan.
The consultation with the pharmacist will enable patients to receive suitable information and ask questions. Small studies in adults with epilepsy have shown that consultations with pharmacists focusing on their epilepsy treatment can have significant benefits to patients regarding their understanding and knowledge of their medication, (Fogg A, 2012).
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0267
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion