Community pharmacists’ perceptions of medicines use reviews and quality assurance by peer review

Objectives To explore existing mechanism to ensure quality assurance of medicine use reviews (MURs), and to identify those parameters of an MUR that community pharmacists consider as indicators of quality. Setting Community pharmacists undertaking MURs in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Method A questionnaire was developed to investigate pharmacists’ attitudes towards MURs and towards quality assurance of MURs. Questionnaires were distributed during December 2008 to a sample of pharmacists in Cornwall accredited to provide the service. Main outcome measures Community pharmacists’ attitudes towards quality assurance of MURs. Results Fifty completed questionnaires were returned, a third of which were from locum pharmacists. The most frequently reported determinant for undertaking an MUR was the pharmacist’s judgement. Company policy to deliver MURs was acknowledged as a potential indicator of a sub-optimal MUR. Pharmacists shared a common sense of what constitutes a “poor” MUR but not what defines a quality one. Conclusion For peer review to operate as an effective mechanism to assure quality of MURs, pharmacists need to develop an effective forum to share their practice experiences.