The iSIMPATHY (Implementing Stimulating Innovation in the Management of Polypharmacy and Adherence Through the Years) project is funded by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme and managed by the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB). Project partners are Scottish Government/NHS Scotland, Northern Health & Social Care Trust/Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre in Northern Ireland and the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland.
The project follows on from the successful Scotland led SIMPATHY project to develop a healthcare management programme to tackle the growing global issue of inappropriate polypharmacy. The iSIMPATHY programme will train pharmacists and other medical professionals to undertake structured medicine reviews in line with guidance and best practice developed during the initial SIMPATHY programme. A total of 15,000 medicine reviews will be undertaken as part of the programme – 6,000 in Scotland and 4,500 each in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
it is hoped iSIMPATHY will lead to a significant contribution towards the embedding of a single approach for polypharmacy management and adherence as well as firmly establishing the value of cross-border working in this field. This will ultimately enable those with multiple morbidity to live healthy and active lives.