MSATS – Safe Use of DOACs

Event 30 October 2024Location Online via WebEx at 12:30-14:00

Discussion of key current medication safety challenges within healthcare with a focus on the safe use of DOACs; inspiring partnership across the system.

Date

30 October 2024

Location

Online via WebEx at 12:30-14:00

About the event

This interactive session was part of the ‘Medication Safety Across the System’ (MSATS) series aimed at healthcare professionals, working in any sector with a role or passion for medication safety and/or involved in medicines use.

Our speakers shared innovative practices addressing safe use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) to inspire and equip the audience ready for translation and replication across systems.

Why it’s important 

There are known risks associated with the use of DOACs. Harms continue to be reported across the system. 

Implementation of safety strategies to support the safe use of DOACs requires a collaborative and system wide approach to ensure safe and sustainable safety improvements. 

What was covered 

  • A discussion of factors that add complexities to the safe prescribing, supply and administration of DOACs.
  • A ‘lived experience’ to understand the impact of these complexities when individuals cross care boundaries and continue their medicines.  
  • A discussion of high risk scenarios where patients on DOACs require additional planning and delegation of responsibilities to ensure safe use.
  • Shared exemplar practices related to improving the safety with DOAC use, which will allow for reflection on local practice and consideration for implementation at a local and system level. 
  • Opportunities to network with peers to inform the development of appropriate local and system wide responses, to enhance the safe use of DOACs. 

Learning Outcomes

  • Articulate key safety issues related to the prescribing or supply of DOACs and the safe monitoring across all care boundaries.  
  • Understand the importance of clear communication of agreed treatment plan across care boundaries.  
  • Understand the importance of good written and verbal communication to patients and carers along the patient pathway.  
  • Reflect on examples shared and identify actions or responses to recommend locally, in order to improve safe practice.

Speakers

A range of speakers from SPS and other organisations helped to run this event.

Non-SPS Speakers

Professor Roopen Arya – Keynote

Professor of Thrombosis and Haemostasis and Clinical Director for Haematological Medicine at King’s College Hospital

Ruth Dales

Senior Improvement Manager, Q Member and Patient Safety Specialist, Medicines Safety Improvement Programme, NHS England

Mark Donley

Lead Pharmacy Technician for Population Health Planning ICB in Leeds, Principal Pharmacy Technician NHS West Yorkshire ICB

Wendy Sunter

Consultant Pharmacist: Anticoagulation and Thrombosis, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Sejal Parekh

Programme Manager, NHS England

Victoria Speed

Specialist Anticoagulation Pharmacist, King’s College Hospital London

Rosalind Byrne

Principal Pharmacist Anticoagulation, King’s College Hospital London

SPS Speakers

Learn more about SPS team members who are speaking.

Resources

Information presented in these resources is correct at time of recording. Current guidance should be followed.

Recordings

Webinar Recording

DOAC integration into Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) across a system.  

Ben Leung shares his success with integrating DOACs into DMS; including standarisation of DOAC counselling criteria across a system. The benefits of this initiative are discussed and top tips for implementation in other systems shared.

The Yellow Card Biobank pilot project and how you can help.

Dr Jessica Wright introduces the Yellow Card Biobank and how you can get involved to support DOAC safety research.

Presentation resources

Slides from the presentation are now available below.

Contact

Please contact the Admin Team if you have any questions.

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