In a pilot scheme, the UK National Health Service call center, NHS Direct call centre now allows patients to report side effects from drugs. It has started in Beckenham, which covers south east London, and, subject to experience there, will be rolled out to all 22 NHS Direct call centres in England. It is an extension of the Yellow Card scheme, already used by GPs, hospital doctors and nurses, dentists, coroners and pharmacists.
David Lammy, health minister, commented ‘Today marks an important step in putting patients in England at the heart of systems for promoting and protecting public healthcare by enabling them for the first time to report suspected ADRs [adverse drug reactions].
“Rather than having to go to a GP, patients can quickly access advice and report reactions that can help to improve our knowledge of the safe use of medicines.”
These reports, along with those from pharmaceutical companies, are reported to the two bodies which jointly run the scheme, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, part of the Drug Licensing Agency, and the Committee on Safety of Medicines.
2003-07-18
Source: Call Centre Europe
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