A new COVID-secure telehealth service which ensures people take their medicines correctly has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.
PAMAN, a remote medicines management service, improves safety, health outcomes and wellbeing.
The internet-based service also generates significant savings. NHS Digital estimates that PAMAN makes ‘cash in the bank’ savings of £200,000 per 100 services users1.
Across England this could save tax payers more than £100m every year.
PAMAN was developed by the Stockport-based Medication Support Company in collaboration with Liverpool City Council in a bid to help people better manage their medicines.
It does this by giving people access to pharmacists at the touch of a button from their own homes. These pharmacists are able to talk to individuals and watch them take their medicines, apply ointments and creams, or use inhalers, advising when necessary.
This replaces the need for carers to make home visits to oversee medicines administration. Not only is this expensive, but carers, who are not experts in medicines management, worry about making mistakes.
The outcomes have been remarkable.
Of those using PAMAN2:
Service Users taking their medication correctly
97% now take their medicines correctly, compared to the national average of 55%. This means better health outcomes, improved safety, fewer hospital admissions and reduced medicine wastage.
Reducing costs and increasing carer capacity
Replacing carer visits with the PAMAN service has reduced costs by 80%, and created more carer capacity for under-staffed services.
Service users have a better quality of life
Service users have a better quality of life, with many reporting improved independence, confidence and feelings of safety.
Recognising its outstanding contribution to improving health and care, PAMAN has today been shortlisted as ‘HealthTech Partnership of the Year’ in the prestigious HSJ Partnership Awards.
Norman Niven, a community pharmacist and founder of the Medication Support Company, said:
“We are absolutely delighted by this accolade. We are immensely proud of PAMAN, which is now supporting hundreds of people across Merseyside and Cheshire to take their medicines correctly and safely, both at home and within intermediate care facilities. It has been shown to improve health outcomes, and by doing so, reduce footfall to NHS services. Given COVID and the need to keep patients and staff safe, this has never been so important.
“People who use PAMAN say the service gives them independence, makes them feel safer and reduces isolation. We have been astonished by the difference it has made to people’s lives.”
Ann Williams, Liverpool City Council’s commissioning and contract manager, said:
“Being shortlisted for this award recognises the hard work and dedication of the teams involved in creating such an innovative and workable solution to improving medicines management.
“PAMAN is really easy to roll-out. The technology is affordable, it’s simple to use and staff training requirements are minimal.
“The service has helped the NHS and council to make significant and sustainable savings. Moreover, it has made a huge difference to people’s quality of life by giving them more independence. We have had many positive comments from service users and their families about PAMAN.
“Services like this are also helping health and social care to work much more closely as an integrated team across Liverpool.”
HSJ editor Alastair McLellan added:
“We would like to congratulate the Medication Support Company and Liverpool City Council on being nominated in the category of ‘HealthTech Partnership of the Year’ ahead of HSJ Partnership Awards 2021.
“We are looking forward to welcoming them to the ceremony in June, to join us in recognising the very best collaborations and innovations in the healthcare sector.
“This year’s finalists are of an outstanding calibre and all of them are exceptionally dedicated to enhancing healthcare across the UK.”
