For older people and frail people, the long-term benefit of medicines reduces and the potential for harm from adverse effects increases. When the benefit–risk balance changes in this way, medicine review and optimisation are important to simplify the therapeutic regimen, reduce inappropriate medicines and minimise risks. In this article, pharmacist prescriber Linda Bryant uses two case studies to illustrate important considerations during medicine reviews
Q&A: ‘Scrap it!' Malloy draws line in sand over vexed VLCA debate
Q&A: ‘Scrap it!' Malloy draws line in sand over vexed VLCA debate
Very Low Cost Access funding has been a lightning rod of debate in primary care for the past few years, with repeated calls from GPs and others in primary care for the “inequitable” system to be scrapped – calls which have so far been ignored by health minister Jonathan Coleman. The RNZCGP’s position, and that of its president Tim Malloy – who himself runs a VLCA practice north of Auckland – have sometimes been lost in the noisy debate (New Zealand Doctor, 15 February). Cliff Taylor met with Dr Malloy at his Wellsford practice late last month to find out exactly where he stands on VLCA
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