Care home medication reviews for GP practices and PCNs
Care home medication reviews for GP practices and PCNs
What the service covers
Our care home medication reviews give each resident a structured review of every medicine they take, carried out by our clinical team inside your own clinical system. We work with the resident where they can take part, and with their family and the care home team, then code every change and recommendation on the record as it is made.
Residents are one of the groups prioritised for structured medication reviews under the Network Contract DES, and they often take several medicines prescribed over years by different clinicians. A regular, governed review keeps each resident’s list matched to what they need now.
- Structured medication reviews for care home residents, one resident at a time
- Polypharmacy and deprescribing, including medicines that may no longer be needed
- Medicines linked to falls, confusion or sedation, and total anticholinergic burden
- High-risk drug monitoring for residents, with due tests and reviews identified, followed up and escalated where needed
- Formulations for residents who have difficulty swallowing
- “When required” (PRN) medicines, checked against how often they are used
- Medicines reconciliation when a resident returns from hospital
- Prescription signing by our independent prescribers
- Clear written outcomes for the care home and the community pharmacy, so the medication record and supply match the change
Who does the work
Reviews are carried out by our clinical team: more than 100 GPhC-registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working under one clinical governance framework. 85% of our pharmacists are independent prescribers. They can make prescribing changes within their competence and the agreed protocol, with the assessment and action recorded.
Technicians prepare each review by gathering the medication list, recent results and hospital letters. Pharmacists carry out the clinical review. The same core team stays with your practice or network, and gets to know your care homes, their teams and their residents.
How it works day to day
- You tell us which care homes and residents to prioritise, and we agree the review protocol and the escalation route to your GPs.
- Technicians prepare each resident’s record: current medicines, monitoring due, recent admissions and letters.
- A pharmacist reviews the resident by phone or video, involving the resident where possible and their family or the care home team.
- Our independent prescribers make prescribing changes within their competence and the agreed protocol. Other prescribing decisions are passed to the GP, with the reason and action recorded.
- The care home and community pharmacy receive the outcome in writing, so the change is carried through to the medication record and supply.
- You receive reporting on residents reviewed, changes made and items referred, for each practice and for the network.
A managed service, not extra headcount
You commission a defined programme of care home reviews, and we deliver it under our own clinical governance. The protocol, the clinical supervision, the quality checks and the cover all sit with us, with continuity and cover arrangements agreed for the programme. Your practice or PCN sets the priorities and keeps every decision that needs a GP.
For a PCN with several aligned care homes, the same review method runs across every home and every practice, with one clinical standard.
What our clinical team has delivered
The published case studies come from structured medication review work in GP practices and PCNs:
- Norfolk and Waveney PCN: 1,000 structured medication reviews delivered, alongside a technician service, all under one governance. Every review was a real clinical encounter with a documented conclusion, coded on the record as it was done.
- Lincolnshire, nine-practice PCN: 315 hours of medication reviews in a first block, delivered to one pathway across all nine practices. The PCN then moved to a full-year contract covering the whole network.
- Somerset PCN: a 287-hour block of medication reviews, followed by an extension.
We have supported 375+ GP practices and 88+ PCNs across 23 ICB areas and all seven NHS regions. Ask and we will arrange a reference call with a PCN doing similar work. Read the case studies.
Governance and data security
Virtual Pharmacist meets the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit standards for 2025-26, holds Cyber Essentials certification and is registered with the ICO (ZB127110). Reviews are carried out and recorded inside your own clinical system through secure, NHS-approved access. Read our clinical governance and data security framework.
Virtual Pharmacist won the Pharmacy Solutions Provider award at the General Practice Awards.
Related services and reading
Structured reviews, one resident at a time
Every medicine reviewed, with the resident, family and care home team involved.
Polypharmacy and deprescribing
Medicines that may no longer be needed, identified and reviewed.
Falls, confusion and sedation
Medicines linked to falls and anticholinergic burden checked.
High-risk drug monitoring
Monitoring needs identified and outstanding tests or reviews followed up.
Hospital returns reconciled
Medication records updated when a resident comes back from hospital.
Clear written outcomes
The care home and community pharmacy told what changed, so records and supply match.
“The team is consistently reliable. Phones are always answered and emails come back the same day. It’s made a real difference to how we run our medication reviews.”
“Fast email replies and clinical input whenever we need it. They picked up our medicines work seamlessly and delivered from day one.”
“Excellent service from start to finish. Easy to reach, quick to reply, and they clearly know NHS workflows inside out. We couldn’t recommend the team more highly.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a care home medication review?
A care home medication review is a structured review of every medicine a resident takes, to check that each one is still safe, effective and needed. Our clinical team carries it out and codes the outcome in the resident's GP record.
Are care home residents a priority for structured medication reviews?
Yes. Residents are one of the groups prioritised for structured medication reviews under the Network Contract DES, so a PCN can plan its care home reviews as a set programme.
Can care home reviews be carried out remotely?
Our service is delivered remotely by phone or video where clinically suitable, involving the resident and, where appropriate, their family or care home team. We work in the practice’s clinical system; any need for an in-person assessment is escalated through the agreed practice pathway.
Who is involved in each review?
The resident, where they are able, and the people who know their care best: family members and the care home team. The resident's GP is involved whenever a change needs a GP's decision.
How do changes reach the care home and the pharmacy?
Each outcome is written up for the care home and the community pharmacy, so the change is carried through to the medication record and the next supply.
Can your pharmacists make prescribing changes?
85% of our pharmacists are independent prescribers and can make changes within their competence and the protocol agreed with you. Anything outside that goes to a GP with the reason recorded.
Can a PCN commission reviews across all its care homes?
Yes. A network can run one review method across every aligned care home and member practice, with reporting for each practice and for the network.
Which clinical systems do you work in?
We work in EMIS, SystmOne, Vision and Medicus, through secure, NHS-approved remote access arranged with your practice.
