The Making Time project

NHS Leeds North clinical commissioning group (CCG) and Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire have launched the Making Time project, aimed at ensuring people with learning disabilities get the best, person-centred service they can from their local pharmacy so that they can stay safe and well.

The project was set up after listening to the views of people who are currently using learning disability care services. The feedback given by people with learning disabilities was that they wanted flexible and patient-led pharmacy services and that it was important that pharmacy staff were approachable.

It is hoped that building relationships between pharmacy staff and people with a learning disability will help with the identification of new conditions and ensure that the correct medicines are being dispensed and used in the best possible way.

The pilot scheme initially ran for 12 months (from June 2015), in 18 pharmacies across the south of Leeds, supporting around 200 individuals.

Practice point

Read the Making Time Project Guide. What ideas and principles from the service can incorporate into your practice?