How PillTime is Reducing Pressure On The Care Sector

In today's fast-paced world, managing medication can be a complex and time-consuming task, especially for care homes. With the NHS under increasing pressure and large pharmacy brands closing stores rapidly across the country, healthcare in the UK is under enormous strain.

At PillTime, we offer an innovative complement to community pharmacies that helps to ease the strain on the NHS while providing people and those living in care settings with access to essential medication.

This blog shares how our unique approach to packaging prescriptions benefits the UK healthcare system.

Healthcare in the UK: The Challenge of Medication Management

Care home residents often require multiple prescriptions at specific times throughout the day — and managing this is a critical aspect of care provision.

Traditional methods of organising medication, such as pill boxes or blister packs, can be time-consuming and present more chances for human error. Of course, whilst the spectrum of what’s deemed an error is broad, the potential consequences of medication mistakes can be severe – with health at risk.

At PillTime, our online pharmacy service revolutionises the distribution of prescriptions for care homes and their residents.

We package prescribed dosages into individual pouches, ensuring that each medication is correctly labelled with the recipient's name, date, and specific administration time.

This eliminates the possibility of accidental dose duplication and empowers individuals and carers to stay on track with medication schedules.

Removing pressure from the NHS and care sector

So, how are we supporting healthcare in the UK, reducing the pressures the NHS is facing and helping carers?

• Reduced errors in medication: Our pouches minimise the possibility of accidental duplication of doses, reducing the risk of medication errors. By providing accurate dosages, we can support the NHS's & CQC's patient safety goals and lower the risk of preventable hospital admissions.
  
  
• Saving time for carers: By organising medication into individual pouches, we can reduce the time and effort required for medication administration. This time-saving aspect allows carers to focus on delivering quality care and support to residents, enhancing overall care standards. Recent research has shown that PillTime's pouches save 67% of carers up to one hour daily. Learn more here 
  
  
• Adherence to strict packaging processes. We use clear labelling and an organised packaging system to promote simplicity, contributing to better health outcomes and reducing the need for additional medical interventions or hospitalisations. This ultimately supports the NHS by preventing medication-related complications while ensuring people have continued access to the medications they need, even in the face of challenging times for community pharmacies.

Streamlining Administrative Tasks

Care providers in supported living settings face the challenge of managing medication regimens for numerous individuals. The administrative tasks involved in organising, tracking, and administering medications can take time, taking away valuable care provision. PillTime Care streamlines these tasks by offering a synchronised monthly cycle and an intuitive system that reduces administrative burdens. This allows providers to focus more on delivering quality care and patient support.

The NHS, PillTime and the Digital Healthcare Revolution

The NHS has released a strategic plan emphasising digital technology integration in healthcare services, paving the way for innovative solutions that benefit patients and support the evolving healthcare landscape.

As an innovative online pharmacy, we’re playing an important role in this digital healthcare revolution, leading the way in online prescription delivery and management. We’re committed to driving positive change and are confident that our service will contribute to the much-needed transformation of healthcare in the UK.