National target groups for MURs
Three national target groups for MURs were introduced in October 2011; a fourth target
group was agreed in September 2014 (Cardiovascular risk) and was implemented from 1st
January 2015. The national target groups are:
1. patients taking high risk medicines;
2. patients recently discharged from hospital who had changes made to their medicines
while they were in hospital. Ideally patients discharged from hospital with receive an
MUR within four weeks of discharge but in certain circumstances the MUR can take
place within eight weeks of discharge;
3. patients with respiratory disease; and
4. patients at risk of or diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and regularly being
prescribed at least four medicines.
Currently, at least 50% of all MURs undertaken by each pharmacy in each year should be on
patients within the national target groups. From 1st April 2015 community pharmacies must
carry out at least 70% of their MURs within any given financial year on patients in one or
more of the agreed target groups.
All patients who receive an MUR should experience the same level of service regardless of
their condition, i.e. MURs cover all the patient’s medicines not just those that fall within a
target group.
Cardiovascular risk MURs
A new MUR target group was added to the service requirements from 1st January 2015 to
cover patients at risk of or diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and regularly being
prescribed at least four medicines. Patients at risk of or diagnosed with cardiovascular
disease can be identified by virtue of them being prescribed one or more medicines for one or
more of the following cardiovascular/cardiovascular risk conditions:
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Coronary heart disease
Diabetes
Atrial fibrillation
Peripheral arterial disease
Renal/chronic kidney disease
Hypertension
Thyroid disorders
Heart failure
Stroke/TIA
Lipid disorders
This means that they must be prescribed at least one medicine from Chapters 2
(cardiovascular), 6.1 (diabetes) or 6.2 (thyroid) of the BNF. To fall into the MUR target
group they must also be regularly prescribed four or more medicines in total.
Pharmacies can provide MURs targeted at patients within this new target group from 1st
January 2015 but they don’t need to record these as targeted MURs if their systems do not
allow that to happen.