GP prescribing errors research

The GMC has published a report on the prevalence and causes of prescribing errors in general practice.

The study follows 2009 research commissioned by the GMC examining prescribing errors made by foundation doctors in hospitals, which has resulted in extra emphasis on prescribing in medical school curricula.

The latest work, led by Professor Tony Avery at the University of Nottingham, found that while the vast majority of prescriptions written by family doctors are appropriate and effectively monitored, around 1 in 20 contain an error.

Researchers looking at a sample of GP practices in England classed most errors as mild or moderate, but around 1 in every 550 prescription items was associated with a severe error.

The most common errors were missing information on dosage, prescribing an incorrect dosage, and failing to ensure that patients got necessary monitoring through blood tests.

This study is the largest-scale of its kind and provides an important insight into how errors in prescribing come about.

The report recommends:

• a greater role for pharmacists in supporting GPs
• better use of computer systems
• extra emphasis on prescribing in GP training.

For further details see:

• press release on GP prescribing errors study
• report on prescribing errors in general practice (May 2012)

• report on prescribing errors by foundation trainees (December 2009).