These overarching developmental standards give a broad framework which will support teams providing and commissioning homecare services to improve services continually and to shape future services and pharmacy roles to deliver quality patient care. These standards will help patients experience a consistent quality of homecare services, irrespective of homecare provider, that will protect them from incidents of avoidable harm and help them to get the best outcomes from their medicines.
Homecare handbook
The Handbook for Homecare Services in England identifies currently available resources and good practice examples which may be used by homecare teams in the development of robust arrangements for compliance with the three domains of the Standard.
Each section of the handbook contains information and guidance and signposts and identifies key documents that will help homecare teams manage homecare services within a clinical and financial governance framework as set out in the RPS standards.
The Handbook for Homecare Services has been produced in parallel with the other 'Hackett' work streams to ensure consistency. Where appropriate the outputs of the other work streams are included in this handbook, or signposted from this handbook.
In September 2014 the Handbook for Homecare Services in Wales was published . The handbook has been adapted from the Handbook for Homecare Services in England with the support of the All Wales Medicines Homecare Committee and RPS Wales for use in NHS Wales to support organisations involved in the provision of medicines through homecare services in Wales to comply with the RPS standards and the key recommendations of the Hackett report.
The Homecare standards data collection form (self-assessment tool) can be used to record and evidence how the standards are implemented within your organisation.
Homecare Strategy Board
In 2011 the Department of Health commissioned the report Homecare Medicines – Towards a Vision for the Future. The report made a list of recommendations to improve the financial and clinical governance arrangements for patients receiving medicines via the homecare route.
In 2012, the Department of Health established a steering board chaired by the report’s author, Mark Hackett, to oversee the implementation of the recommendations with a range of work streams including development of a framework of standards for homecare medicines.
The Professional Standards for Homecare Services, developed by the Homecare Standards Workgroup, overseen by the Department of Health Homecare Strategy Board, and hosted and published by the RPS closely reflect the RPS Professional Standards for Hospital Pharmacy Services, and aim to ensure that patients receive safe, effective care from homecare services.