Posted on 16th June 2020 by Zac Mavin
Youngsters are showing increasing signs of feeling unhappy or worried, being clingy, as well as experiencing some physical symptoms linked to worry, parents have reported.
Children aged four to 10 have also shown behavioural problems are increasing over time such as temper tantrums, arguments and children not doing what they are asked
To read the full article, click here.
Posted on 29th April 2020 by Lisa Yates
If you are still in doubt that MaPPs can be useful why not have a read of the recently published case study conducted by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust on 'Increasing Patient Medicines Understanding – Improving Discharge Service' to see the results for yourself.
Posted on 22nd April 2020 by Lisa Yates
MaPPs - Medince: A Patient Profile Summary - Free Trial Available to Assist During Covid-19 Pandemic
MaPPs is an online system that provides bespoke medicines information for patients (including monographs, pictograms, and short phrases) available for over 6000+ medicines used in the UK. In addition, MaPPs also automatically delivers both MAR and reminder charts which are fully editable. All leaflets are produced as pdf files and can be viewed online, downloaded, sent electronically, printed and uploaded to the clinical system, and contain the subscribing organisations logos so the patients have continuity of advice from the health service supporting them.
Some trusts have found during Covid-19 that giving MaPPs information leaflets together with a reminder or MAR chart very useful where standard dispensing is being issued instead of dossette boxes due to staff reduction or to reduce the risk of airborne contamination from de-blistering and assembly. In addition, as the leaflets can be sent electronically, this has been helpful for healthcare professionals to counsel remotely, including from clean areas to dirty areas of COVID-19 patients or for those self-isolating in the community.
Also, a big issue is where staff are returning from retirement and alternative healthcare professions are being deployed e.g. return to practice pharmacy staff, dentists, retired GP's, etc, they may not be up to date with current medicines. Using MaPPs means patients can be quickly supported for counseling with up to date, high quality yet easy to understand accessible information was written by our specialist pharmacists. The Easy Read leaflets as pictograms and short phrases being invaluable for people with a learning difficulty, and where English is not the first language.
You can have a play with the MaPPs demo system today, please contact us for the link and instructions on how to use the system via: lisa.yates@misturainformatics.org
To note, the MaPPs system was a finalist for the Health Service Journal: Improving Care with Technology Award 2017 so it has been validated nationally. We also have a case study of how beneficial the system was in the NHS regarding patient outcomes and the CQUIN framework, please contact us for more details..
Here at Mistura, we are all healthcare professionals, and to support our colleagues during COVID-19, we have made the MAPPs system available free for a 3 month trial period, which is open to all NHS Trusts, CCG's, GPs, and Primary Care Networks. Please let us know if you would like to take up the free offer and we will send you all the relevant information.
Posted on 31st March 2020 by Lisa Yates
System Description:
MaPPs: Medicines - A Patient Profile Summary is a fully indemnified web-based medicines management system, composed of three parts, to provide support for patients and improve adherence and medicines taking behaviour. [Health Service Journal (HSJ )Award Finalist: Improving Care WIth Technology, 2017]
Medicines Information Monographs: that allows a profile summary of all a patient’s medication to be compiled in electronic format which can be emailed and printed as leaflets to take home and/or stored for uploading to the clinical record. Each monograph of medicines information provides a hard copy summary of what a healthcare professional would say to a patient in plain English including the main uses, side effects & ones to get worried about (rare but important) and warning or cautions including any monitoring required.
Medicines Adherence Toolkit: to support medicines taking including:
1. Medicines Reminder Charts (MRC)
2. Medicines Administration Charts (MARs)
Medicines Easy Read Leaflets (MERLS): provide summary information as pictograms and brief phrases for people with a Learning Disability, children and older people with cognitive challenges. MERLs is also useful for where English is not the first language.
Please contact the team direct for more information and to sign up for your free trial via the link below:
Posted on 25th March 2020 by Lisa Yates
Brand new fact sheets were added to the Choice and Medication downloadable leaflet suite on 23rd March 2020 for Clozapine and Coronavirus (COVID-19), which was recently authored by Professor Stephen Bazire.
Choice and Mediation have taken the lead and added both a UK and Australian fact sheet on the implications of COVID-19 for people taking clozapine with information and facts relating to various aspects e.g. supplies, blood tests, and precautions, etc. A New Zealand version can be added as soon as it is appropriate should the situation deteriorate.
The new leaflet is linked directly from the clozapine page on your subscribing trusts portal and a link can also be found on the handy fact sheets page. Should you require any further information or would like to subscribe to Choice and Medication for either personal use, a professional subscription or need an organisational license for your trust please contact the team via the link below:
admin@choiceandmedication.org.uk
Posted on 10th March 2020 by Zac Mavin
Loot boxes have been seen as a controversial aspect of the games industry. There have been calls to class loot boxes as a form of gambling including from the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Committee. Belgium has banned loot boxes in games and both Australia and the United States are investigating the impact of loot boxes and if they should be considered a form of gambling.
To read the full article click the link below: https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2020/01/19/nhs-england-mental-health-gambling-loot-box-gaming-ban/