The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched a new three-year Strategy for Improving Safety Communications, which aims to transform the way the health service provides information about the risks and safety of medicines, medical devices and healthcare products in the UK to support effective implementation of new safety measures.
Effective communication is essential so that patients are informed of and understand the benefits and risks of medicines and devices they are using, to assist healthcare professionals in best protecting their patients, and to maintain confidence in medical products, the broader health system, and the MHRA.
Healthcare professionals need the latest safety information to advise and support their patients, and we have listened to their feedback in bringing improvements to our communications and systems. The strategy is underpinned by the findings of a recent consultation with healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations.
The three-year strategy will deliver to patients and healthcare professionals more co-ordinated, targeted, and impactful safety communications, when they need it, using the best possible communication channels.
The new strategy aims to build on the MHRA’s transformed approach to safety following the 2020 Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review. This called for strengthening the MHRA’s processes for monitoring the safety of medicines and medical devices and better working with other bodies to support changes being embedded without delay in clinical practice.
Dr. Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said: "Our new Strategy for Improving Safety Communications will help us ensure patients are better informed about the benefits and risks of medical products. We continue to listen to and shape our work in the light of feedback from patients, the public, healthcare professionals and external experts to ensure that we continue to support all those with whom we work to improve patient safety."
In the consultation, healthcare professionals raised their workload and time pressures, and the volume of safety warnings they receive.Therefore a new MHRA Safety ‘round up’ bulletin will be launched to bring together safety advice communicated by the MHRA each month, across all the medical products it regulates. It will also continue to issue safety communications throughout the month in a targeted way, to anyone who wishes to receive them.
Healthcare professionals who took part in the consultation asked for more information about the MHRA’s safety warnings and how they should be actioned. The MHRA will launch campaigns to raise awareness of the role of the MHRA and the importance of its safety communications.
Many organisations asked the MHRA to have better avenues for feedback on new safety warnings. It will therefore build closer relationships with healthcare organisations and with healthcare professionals, to ensure advice is actionable and informed by their needs. The MHRA will also continue to build and increase its direct reach to patients, including through use of innovative mechanisms and communication methods that are tailored to their needs. To inform its approaches, there will be a further consultation with patients and patient representatives next year.
To view the three-year strategy, visit: MHRA Strategy for Improving Safety Communications - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
