UK
Clinical Pharmacy
Association
UK
Clinical Pharmacy
Association
The UKCPA Handbook of Perioperative Medicines was first published in paper form in 2016 by the UKCPA Surgery & Theatres Committee, with a digital release following in 2019. Sarah Tinsley, co-author of the Handbook and Advanced Clinical Lead Pharmacist in the Division of Surgery, Anaesthetics and Critical Care at Royal Stoke University Hospital says, “When developing the online version of the Handbook, our aim was to make evidence-based perioperative medicines advice available to all healthcare professionals caring for patients undergoing surgery. It has always been our goal that the Handbook would standardise perioperative medicine management across the UK.”
The UKCPA Handbook of Perioperative Medicines was initially published to “provide national guidance to professionals working in this area of medicine” and to “ensure unified practice for the management of patients’ regular medicines in the perioperative period”.
The Handbook of Perioperative Medicines contains a series of monographs about different classes of medicines. Users can search for specific medication or condition monographs, with each one featuring sections on:
The Handbook of Perioperative Medicines was accessed by up to 250 users per day, according to an analysis of the digital version from December 2020 to January 2021, conducted via an analysis of Google Analytics data, and a questionnaire survey of users. Almost two-thirds of survey respondents were pharmacists, but the review found that other health professionals, including doctors and nurses, also accessed the Handbook. The majority of individuals viewing the resource worked in a hospital setting, with most visits recorded on a weekday, for an average of three minutes at a time.
The analysis showed that the majority of users were pharmacists working within a hospital looking for resources to support their decision-making in perioperative settings to reduce potential medication interactions, or complications in medically sensitive situations. In order for the Handbook to be more effective in its aim to unify guidance, more healthcare professions need to be made aware of it.
The 2020-2021 data showed that the Handbook of Perioperative Medicines was mostly accessed from the UK, followed by users in Australia, Ireland, and the US. Access was also recorded by users from across the globe, including in France, Turkey, Iceland, and Malaysia.
Further analysis of usage of the Handbook was carried out in March 2024, again using data from Google Analytics, the website dashboard, and a questionnaire. These findings were published in the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice[1] . Three years on from the original review, the data showed that over three-quarters (79%, or 23,158) users were from the UK, and the average engagement time was recorded as 3 minutes, 42 seconds. In addition, 1,858 users were from Australia, while 785 were based in Ireland, and 575 in the USA.
Co-author of the Handbook, Sarah Tinsley (Advanced Clinical Lead Pharmacist in the Division of Surgery, Anaesthetics and Critical Care at Royal Stoke University Hospital) says, “It is encouraging to see that there are so many people who use and value the Handbook. We want to continue to improve and grow this resource, with a view to including more specialised medicines in the future, such as oral chemotherapy agents and HIV medicines.”
The analysis of Handbook’s use provided insights into the most frequently accessed monographs across the website, which reflect the risks surrounding specific medications, and the need for information to support perioperative decisions. During the 2020-21 review period, the most accessed pages included:
By the time of the 2024 analysis, the monographs accessed most frequently included:
It’s to be expected that a high number of users require information on anticoagulants, as there’s a high level of risk associated with these medications. Anticoagulants can significantly increase the risk of severe bleeds or a major adverse cardiovascular event if particular medications are either stopped or continued perioperatively.
Findings from the initial 2020-21 survey showed that users of the Handbook of Perioperative Medicines come across it in various ways, including:
The 2024 data found that 84% of survey respondents were accessing the Handbook via desktop, with 82% feeling that it has good search functionality, and 80% reporting that they could easily find the information they were looking for. This reflects the findings from early 2021, when 95% of participants said they’d recommend the Handbook to others, and almost three-quarters said it was a useful addition to their resources.
By 2024, 22% of those questioned said the Handbook of Perioperative Medicines was their sole resource for finding this type of information, with 89% of those aware of the Handbook using it at least some of the time.
The UKCPA Handbook of Perioperative Medicines is just one of the expert resources created by members of our pharmacy network. When you become a UKCPA member, you’ll get access to extensive resource libraries submitted by your peers, so you can expand your knowledge, benefiting your career, as well as the service you provide to patients.
Join UKCPA today for less than £3 a week to access:
This article is partly based on a piece by Dr Ruth Bednall, previous UKCPA Chair and Director of the Continuous Improvement Academy at University Hospital North Midlands NHS Trust, and project supervisor on the 2020-21 review.
Further acknowledgements:
Project lead: Tasmin Preston, MPharm student, Keele University
Project supervisor: Dr Simon White, Reader in Pharmacy Practice, Keele University @CPD4ALL
Project supervisor: Richard Lewis, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist, Royal Stoke University Hospital
Claire Frank & Sarah Tinsley, project leads for the Handbook of Perioperative Medicines, and authors of the 2024 review.
The article does not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the UKCPA or its members. We encourage readers to follow links and references to primary research papers and guidance.
Join UKCPA for less than £3 a week and access all our communities, education and resources.
