Executive Summary: Medicines Optimisation Centricity – Reimagining Value in the Patient Pathway
Overview
This white paper, developed by HSJ Advisory in partnership with Aspire Pharma, presents a compelling case for transforming medicines optimisation from a transactional cost centre into a strategic enabler of patient-centred, value-based care. Drawing on insights from a 2025 expert roundtable, the report highlights systemic barriers and proposes actionable strategies to align medicines use with long-term health outcomes and NHS sustainability goals.
Key Findings
- Medicines optimisation is underutilised as a patient-facing intervention and often driven by short-term financial metrics.
- Patients with long-term conditions face fragmented care pathways, digital exclusion, and inequitable access to medicines.
- Systemic challenges include poor interoperability, administrative complexity, misaligned commissioning, and cultural resistance to industry collaboration.
- Workforce gaps in training and digital literacy hinder effective prescribing and patient engagement.
Strategic Recommendations
- Patient-Centric Approaches
- Co-design services with patients, especially those from underserved communities.
- Improve communication and accessibility of information.
- Prioritise high-risk patients through stratified care models.
- System Improvements
- Mandate digital interoperability across NHS systems.
- Shift from in-year financial planning to long-term strategic commissioning.
- Standardise processes to reduce duplication and inefficiency.
- Collaborative Care Models
- Empower community pharmacy as a clinical partner.
- Develop integrated neighbourhood teams and shared care pathways.
- Promote collaborative commissioning across primary, secondary, and community care.
- Technology & AI Enablement
- Invest in patient-centric digital tools and AI for risk stratification.
- Ensure digital solutions are inclusive and interoperable.
- Leverage industry expertise in data analytics and innovation.
- Education & Workforce Development
- Expand training for non-medical prescribers and digital competencies.
- Encourage peer-to-peer learning and mentorship.
- Collaborate with industry for transparent, governance-aligned education.
- Mature Industry Partnerships
- Foster pragmatic, outcome-focused collaboration with pharmaceutical and tech partners.
- Pilot innovative solutions with clear pathways to scale.
- Reform financial arrangements to support long-term implementation.
Call to Action
NHS leaders, payors, and industry stakeholders are urged to co-design integrated solutions that embed medicines optimisation into holistic care delivery. This includes reforming incentive structures, enhancing data sharing, and scaling successful local innovations to improve patient outcomes and system efficiency.
MAT-UK-COR-0012-1 | October 2025
