On-site Pharmacist Implementation Trial In Residential Aged Care Homes in Urban, Regional, Rural and Remote (OPTIMISER3) Australia

Integrating of on-site pharmacists in residential aged care facilities to improve the quality use of medicine and reduce hospitalisations of residential aged care residents. The intervention is the integration of the role of Pharmacist as a position on the aged care facility staff. The position description of the pharmacist is based on the previous Australian Capital Territory trial - Pharmacists in Residential Aged Care Facilities (PiRACF) Study ACTRN12620000430932: https://www.chnact.org.au/for-health-professionals/pharmacists-in-residential-aged-care-facilities-study/). A pharmacist will be employed either by the aged care home, community pharmacy or PHN for a period of 12 months. The On-site pharmacist is being integrated into the staff and operations of the aged care facility. Prior to the commencement of the on-site pharmacist role, aged care staff, pharmacists, community pharmacists, GPs and residents will participate in a co-design workshop to adapt and agree on the position description of the on-site pharmacist. At the end of the 12-month trial aged care staff, on-site pharmacists, community pharmacist, GP's, residents and family members/carers will participate in a focus group discussion. Transcripts of stakeholder co-design sessions and focus group transcripts will be collected and analyzed using deductive coding based on Mays et al 2022, Coding framework for NPT. The co-designed position description adapted for regional, rural, remote and non-ACT urban sites developed by the participants forms the basis of the role during the intervention period. During the 12-month intervention period the on-site Pharmacist will keep an on-line activity diary using Redcap. The on-site pharmacist online activity diary will record the activities undertaken within the aged care home as part of the on-site pharmacist role, for example undertaking medication reviews, providing training, participation in clinical governance activities etc.). At the conclusion of the 12-month period, Quality indicator data from aged care facility information management systems collected during the 12-month trial of the on-site pharmacist intervention will be analyzed to determine the impact of the on-site pharmacist role. The on-site Pharmacists will follow agreed job description, participate in workshops/focus groups and keep the on-line activity diary.