Project Name: Homecare service assessment and redesign

Project Summary:

The homecare market is a growing market with patient numbers increasing by approximately 20% year on year. There are currently an estimated 275,000 homecare patients in the UK with an estimated spend of £2.1bn which is comprised of approximately 90 – 95% of that amount being the drug spend and 5-10% being the delivery costs.1

Over the years many NHS Trusts have struggled to support the increase in homecare patient numbers with existing pharmacy staff and structures. NHS manages the service Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and manages the governance of the service from both NHS and pharmaceutical supplier commissioned services.

Whilst the prescriptions are generated by the clinical teams, the clinical check and processing of the prescription, including invoice management is undertaken by pharmacy departments.

Since the Covid Pandemic Homecare options have become more favourable with Health Care Professionals (HCPs), which has put added pressure on the resources within a pharmacy department. Patients requiring homecare services have grown exponentially over the last 18 months from 4,000 to 8,000 patients in Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals. Many Trusts have taken the measure to limit the number of new homecare schemes until they can be administered in a safe environment.

Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals have already sourced a digital solution, the CMM Homecare Module, but due to lack of staffing resource to implement the system resource or re-allocation of pharmacy resources is needed. With digitisation and more alignment on staffing skill sets, capacity could be released which could be utilised in the current homecare resource. To address the above challenges, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals and Novartis have established a Collaborative Working Project

The expected outcomes from the project will be as follows:

Phase 1

  • Implement CMM Homecare Module, with primary focus of homecare for patients diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Time and Motion for homecare pharmacy services
  • Root cause analysis and service mapping report completed
  • Short, Medium, Long term strategy for their Homecare Service by therapy area
  • Immediate Homecare Service activity  

Phase 2

  • Based on Phase 1 output, implement short term strategies related to MS from the outcomes of the time and motion report to increase efficiencies

Phase 3

  • Publish case study of how to improve pharmacy efficiency.
  • Creation of a project template for other services to replicate the activity by way of publishing the CW outputs by the NHS

 Expected Patient Benefits:

  • Allows patients access to new therapies delivered closer to home and choose where they collect their prescription, aligned to the Long term plan.
  • Measurable outcome: Patients are enrolled onto the homecare delivery programme and having medicines delivered at home.
  • With a wider choice and access to innovative medicines closer to home.

Start Date & Duration: August 2022 – 18 months

References:

1. NHMC proposal for Funding of Pharmacy Homecare Teams by Commissioners National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC)

UK | August 2022 | 510445

Project Name: Homecare service assessment and redesign

Partner Organisation(s): Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Completion Date: November 2025

Outcome Summary: 

This project was created to support the installation and implementation of the dedicated homecare module of the Careflow Medicines Management, (CMM) the currently used stock control and dispensing software within Newcastle Hospitals Pharmacy and use the module to streamline current Homecare processes. The CMM module did change processes, store transactions and improve governances. It did not improve capacity for homecare patients as anticipated. The CMM module now has facilitated a larger AI digital collaborative project working with another Trust, which will hopefully look at reducing 75% capacity staff time by 30-40%.

Key Project Outcomes Data:

The project achieved the following: 

  • Time and motion study of the pharmacy homecare systems completed.
  • Root cause analysis and service mapping report completed.
  • Rewriting of existing procedures to accommodate the new module, bringing Homecare SOP’s up to date in general.
  • Streamlining of the transactions performed, saving time raising purchase orders and passing invoices as a matter of routine.
  • Homecare team were trained and began using the module very quickly and efficiently due to its ease of training.
  • A project lead, who routinely speaks to all stakeholders regarding the progress is essential.
  • Regular touchpoints for all stakeholders to attend in order to be updated on precisely how things are progressing
  • Implement CMM, with primary focus of homecare for patients diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) was achieved
  • Over 2000 patient notes were reviewed as part of the project to ensure compliance with the Hacket report and medication review.
  • 2 new pharmacists are being recruited aligned with the homecare gain share agreement with NHS England.
  • All outstanding MS homecare medicines are on the prioritised list and aim to be onboarded in 2026.

Conclusion:

The project was successful in streamlining the raising of purchase orders and the passing of invoices has improved in terms of time spent doing both. Due to the large volume of patients and medicines that required incorporation into the module, the project required the employment of a project implementation lead who provided regular touchpoints for all stakeholders to attend in order to be updated on precisely how things are progressing. Though the CMM module did not address capacity as anticipated, it has led to the collaboration with another Trust to improve digitalisation and alleviate capacity pressures.

FA-11576684 | December 2025