A working group set up by the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has drawn up national  guidelines for the provision of pharmacotherapy in public and private social and health care units.

The purpose of the Safe pharmacotherapy guidelines is to harmonise the principles for the provision of pharmacotherapy, to clarify the division of responsibilities related to its provision, and to defi ne the minimum requirements that must be complied with in all units providing pharmacotherapy. The guidelines also give examples of good practices in pharmacotherapy. The development needs that necessitated the preparation of the guidelines are related, above all, to the defi nition of questions of responsibility in pharmacotherapy in different sectors, harmonisation of licence practices, induction of staff, and ensuring and maintaining the knowledge and skills in pharmacotherapy.

The general guidelines and principles for pharmacotherapy are the same for all public and private social and health care units and well as for establishments providing pharmacotherapy in other areas. According to the guidelines the provision of pharmacotherapy is based on a pharmacotherapy plan drawn up in the unit or workplace, that serves as the tool for defi nition and management of the following sub-areas in pharmacotherapy:

• Content and methods of pharmacotherapy
• Ensuring and maintaining the knowledge and skills in pharmacotherapy
• Personnel's responsibilities, obligations and division of labour
• Licence practices
• Pharmaceutical service: ordering, storing and manufacture of medicines, making them ready for use, returning of medicines, information, guidance and advice

• Distribution and administration of medicines
• Informing and advising patients
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy
• Documentation and fl ow of information
• Systems for monitoring and feedback

Pharmacotherapy is a health care activity that is carried out, as a rule, by health care professionals with training in pharmacotherapy and under their responsibility. Licensed health care professionals with appropriate training bear the overall responsibility for the provision of pharmacotherapy, and every employee giving pharmacotherapy or taking part in it is responsible for his/her actions. Foremen guide and supervise the carrying out of pharmacotherapy in accordance with a pharmacotherapy plan, as well as decide on the division of labour and co-operation between the different personnel groups so that the skills and knowledge of all groups are made use of optimally.

The responsibility for the organisation of the drawing up, carrying out and monitoring of a pharmacotherapy plan is vested in the management of the social and health care units. A well organised and managed pharmacotherapy also brings about savings in terms of expenses. The guidelines emphasise the need for developing attitudes and the operational culture through learning from errors and adjusting operational practices based on assessments.

Safe Pharmacotherapy. National Guide for Pharmacotherapy in Social and Health Care. Helsinki 2009. 54 pp.
Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2009:10
ISBN 978-952-00-2827-5 (pb)
ISBN 978-952-00-2828-2 (PDF)
ISSN 1236-2050 (print)
ISSN 1797-9854 (online)