Medicine optimisation & safety Our medicines optimisation & safety programmes aim to help patients get the maximum benefit from their medicines, ensure medicine use is as safe as possible and reduce waste. Medicines play a crucial role in maintaining health, preventing illness, managing chronic conditions, and curing disease, which is why they are the most common intervention in healthcare. Most people take medicines at some point in their life. Medicines are beneficial and we want people to get the best from them. Medicines optimisation looks at the value that medicines deliver, making sure they are clinically-effective and cost-effective. It is about ensuring people get the right choice of medicines, at the right time, and are engaged in the process by their clinical team (NHS England). Medication-related incidents remain one of the most frequently reported categories of patient safety incidents, accounting for about 10% of reported incidents. Medicines safety focuses on reducing risks of errors and harm associated with medicines and keeping patients safe. Our work We are working with pharmacy colleagues in our three ICSs to implement medicines optimisation across our region. This includes helping to strengthen the way partner organisations work together across community, primary and acute care, to ultimately ensure safe and appropriate use of medicines. We also work with innovators in the pharmacy space as part of our Innovator support. Our Polypharmacy programme is supporting healthcare professionals to identify patients at potential risk and facilitate better conversations about medicines. As part of our Patient Safety Collaborative, we are also focusing on Medicines Safety to reduce avoidable harm from medicines, especially from opioids, and improve chronic pain care. Our team are working closely with ICSs and stakeholders to deliver meaningful change. Our portfolio of work is growing and evolving, and if you are interested in working with us, please get in touch. Current programmes 1/3. Improving Repeat Prescribing Supporting the roll out of the Repeat Prescribing Toolkit, jointly developed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Read more 2/3. Polypharmacy Supporting healthcare professionals to identify patients at potential risk and facilitate better conversations about medicines. Read more 3/3. Medicines safety Patient Safety Collaborative programme supporting healthcare professionals to improve chronic non-cancer pain management by reducing high-risk opioid prescribing. Read more News and case studies Helping Kent, Surrey and Sussex approach polypharmacy – success and resources As the Health Innovation Network’s Polypharmacy: Getting the Balance Right programme draws to a close, we reveal its impact in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and share resources to keep the momentum going. News 5 Nov 2025 More Helping Sussex take a new approach to polypharmacy Principal pharmacist Helena Stimpson discusses how the Health Innovation Network’s polypharmacy programme influenced her team’s approach to structured medicine reviews (SMRs), and how she is sharing what she learnt in Sussex. Blog 5 Aug 2025 More Tackling problematic polypharmacy The Polypharmacy programme addresses the growing challenge of problematic polypharmacy, where patients take multiple medications, increasing their risk of harm and hospital admissions. Case Study 3 Jul 2025 More New Repeat Prescribing Toolkit introduced to Primary Care Teams Health Innovation KSS recently hosted three workshops to introduce the newly released RCGP/RPS endorsed Repeat Prescribing Toolkit to practices and PCNs, as part of our work with ICB Medicines Optimisation/Management Teams across our region. News 2 Jul 2025 More Tackling problematic polypharmacy in Surrey Heartlands Find out how Health Innovation Network accredited polypharmacy trainers have helped transform practice in Surrey Heartlands. BlogCase Study 25 Jun 2025 More Polypharmacy Community of Practice: Preparing patients for a Structured Medication Review Health Innovation KSS recently facilitated a Community of Practice shared learning event to help clinicians to prepare patients for a Structured Medication Review (SMR). Case StudyNews 9 May 2025 More Polypharmacy Action Learning Sets – Register interest for future cohorts Help build GP and prescribing health care professionals' confidence in, and understanding of, the complex issues surrounding stopping inappropriate medicines safely. Event More Structured Medication Review resources boost patient engagement and improve the quality of consultations It’s one year since the Health Innovation Network launched its NHS-branded patient information materials to support people invited for Structured... News 31 Oct 2024 More Vivisco project awarded funding as part of Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Challenge The government has announced the twelve projects awarded a share of £5 million to reduce rates of fatal drug overdoses, including Vivisco Smart Revive Beacon for Opiate Overdose in partnership with KSS AHSN, Forward Trust, Kent Count Council and Southeast Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. News 21 Sep 2023 More Transforming Asthma Pathways – FeNO Impact Report New report shows impact of FeNO national programme on asthma care in England A new report is showcasing the impact of... News 30 Jun 2023 More Better asthma outcomes for patients and planet – comms toolkit Clean air day Thursday 15 June 2023. On Clean Air Day (15 June 2023) three Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs)... News 15 Jun 2023 More Is it time to reimagine patient information? New report highlights urgent need to modernise and improve understanding of the patient information leaflets (PILs). News 28 Mar 2023 More ← → Contact us If you’d like to find out more about our work in medicine safety & optimisation or are interested in collaborating with us, get in touch. Meet the team Get in touch