Discharge Medicines Service (DMS)

The Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) became a new Essential Service within the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) on Monday 15th February 2021.   See the PSNC DMS page here for further information about this service.

Please find below our DMS Service Summary.

DMS - Service Summary

The following NHS Trusts are digitally enabled to send DMS referrals to community pharmacies:

• Airedale General Hospital
• Bradford Royal Infirmary
• Calderdale & Huddersfield
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust
• Leeds & York Partnership Trust
• The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
• South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

In the main these Trusts are utilising DMS referrals for patients who have their medicines dispensed in compliance aids. However, from November 2021 the following Trusts are starting to make referrals for additional patient cohorts as outlined below:

• South West Yorkshire Foundation Trust (SWYFT) have told us that they are now rolling out referrals into DMS to patients who are discharged from hospital on liquid medicines.

• Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust (CHFT) are currently piloting the use of a dedicated ward pharmacy team on their acute wards to initiate DMS referrals to any patient that they feel would benefit. However, they are particularly focusing on the following groups of patients:

• Those who are newly diagnosed as diabetic
• Those who have had their insulin regimen changed whilst in hospital
• Those who are newly diagnosed as asthmatic
• Those who have had their inhaler regimen changed whilst in hospital
• Those who have been newly initiated on Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs)

• Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust – are imminently planning to roll this service out to paediatric patients on complex medicines regimens who have multiple changes made to their treatment during an inpatient stay as well as who would benefit from further pharmacy input after discharge to help manage and utilise their medicines. They will also aim to refer patients on a ketogenic diet in order to help keep their medicines carbohydrate free if required.

If your pharmacy is more likely to receive DMS referrals from either of these Trusts, please ensure that relevant staff are made aware of these recent changes.

Resources

DMS Worksheet (Word Version)

DMS Worksheet (PDF)

Local NHS Trusts & ODS Codes

NHSE&I DMS Launch Letter to Pharmacy Teams

PharmOutcomes DMS Pharmacy Reporting to MYS Guide

Useful Patient Videos

Patient Video: Meet Mo – How pharmacy teams can help you if your medicines are changed in hospital - https://vimeo.com/258100520.

Bulletins

Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire has put together a series of bulletins, detailing the required actions ALL community pharmacy contractors should have already taken to ensure that their staff are competent to deliver this service.  The bulletins can be found below:

Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) - Bulletin 5

Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) - Bulletin 4

Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) - Bulletin 3

Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) - Bulletin 2

Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) - Bulletin 1

Leeds - DMS referrals from Virtual Frailty Ward

Last Updated: 25th November 2021