28 March 2025
As Australia undertakes major aged care reforms to improve medication management and resident safety, a new University of South Australia initiative will trial medication safety rounds in aged care homes to prevent medication-induced harm and improve resident care.
Funded by a near $1 million MRFF Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission Grant, the new study will equip pharmacists, nurses, and aged care workers with the tools to identify medication issues early and develop safe action plans for residents.
Conducted in partnership with six aged care providers, and supported by a diverse team of experts in pharmacy, medicine, nursing, aged care, consumer engagement, and health economics, the project directly responds to recommendations in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety to implement pharmacist models of care in aged care homes.
Medication management problems are the most frequent reason for residential care complaints to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
Chief Investigator, UniSA’s Associate Professor Janet Sluggett says the new medication safety rounds will lead to improvements in medication use, health, and wellbeing among residents.
“Aged care residents take multiple medications, and this can increase the likelihood of medication errors and adverse events,” Assoc Prof Sluggett says.
“Now, as a result of the Royal Commission in Aged Care Quality and Safety, pharmacists are working onsite in aged care homes to help address this issue, but we need to provide them with new tools to proactively address medication safety issues.”
“The new medication safety rounds draw on the evidence-based principles of nurse-led ‘palliative care needs rounds’, where patients are regularly monitored by a multidisciplinary team of experts to assess and cater for their changing needs.
“Our rounds will work in a similar way where pharmacists, nurses and other aged care team members engage in monthly meetings to ensure medications are being used safely and effectively.”
“This pharmacist-led approach will help to identify and address potential problems with medication use, such as drug interactions, inappropriate prescriptions, and opportunities for deprescribing, with any changes identified actioned to ensure optimal resident care.”
The multisite, two-year project will work collaboratively with health professionals, aged care staff, residents and families to adapt the existing palliative care need rounds model, and codesign implementation processes and resources to inform the delivery of medication safety needs rounds.
“Australia is one of the first countries to implement onsite pharmacists in aged care homes. Our new, pharmacist-led medication safety rounds initiative will deliver a robust mechanism to address medication safety needs in aged care homes,” Assoc Prof Sluggett says.
“Working with our partners in aged care homes, we will implement and evaluate the processes and outcomes of medication safety needs rounds and conduct an intervention scalability assessment to inform future testing or scale up.
“With Australia's aged care system undergoing major reforms, including the introduction of onsite pharmacists, this project leverages a critical window of opportunity to develop a new care model focused on reducing medication-induced harm and improving resident’s health and wellbeing.”
Results from the project will be assessed and in time, expanded more widely.
The University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide are joining forces to become Australia’s new major university – Adelaide University. Building on the strengths, legacies and resources of two leading universities, Adelaide University will deliver globally relevant research at scale, innovative, industry-informed teaching and an outstanding student experience. Adelaide University will open its doors in January 2026. Find out more on the Adelaide University website.
Notes to editors:
- The Chief Investigators for this MRFF Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission initiative include: UniSA’s Assoc Prof Janet Sluggett, Dr Sara Javanparast, Prof Marion Eckert, Prof Debra Rowett, Prof Ian Gwilt, Dr Aaron Davis, and Dr Daria Gutteridge).
- This project is one of five research grants awarded by the MRFF, with a total value of more than $7 million.
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Contact for interview: Assoc Prof Janet Sluggett E: Janet.Sluggett@unisa.edu.au
Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au
