A project aimed at reducing missed doses of critical medicines has seen a Teesside-based pharmacy team shortlisted for a prestigious award.
The pharmacy team at the University Hospital of North Tees has been named as a finalist in the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2026, in the ‘Improving Medicines Safety Award’ category.
Their entry, titled ‘‘TIMELY’ approach: redesigning frontline workflow to reduce avoidable harm from time critical medicines’, has been effective in improving how time critical medicines (TCMs) are managed when patients are admitted into hospital.
Time critical medicines, such as those used to treat Parkinson’s disease and insulin-dependent diabetes, must be administered at specific times to avoid serious harm and support patient recovery.
An analysis of incidents identified challenges leading to missed or delayed doses, particularly in busy admission areas. In response, the pharmacy team developed a structured, mnemonic-based workflow redesign tool that enables frontline staff to proactively identify, prioritise and secure TCMs.
When staff are thinking time critical medicines, the ‘TIMELY’ tool prompts staff to consider some key steps:
Think – think about your patient’s medications and discuss this with them.
Identify – identify any TCMs on the patients’ medication list (see RCEM TCMs list)
Medication – medications (TCMs) available or unavailable on the ward.
Engage – engage with clinician for advice if your patient is NBM (switch to an alternative)
Locate – locate or order TCMs if unavailable on the ward (follow Medication Availability flowcharts)
Your – your patient safety is the top priority
This tool embeds the key actions and national guidance (Royal College of Emergency Medicines TCMs list) that help to address the common root causes of TCMs administration omission.
Medication safety officer (MSO), Jun Saw, said: “‘TIMELY’ was introduced as a structured workflow intervention which could be embedded into daily practice.
“The implementation of this safety initiative involved system-wide collaboration including multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and senior leadership. This collaborative approach ensures the safety solutions are practical, evidence-based and strategically sound.”
Supporting tools, including a clear medication availability flowchart, practical checklists and visual prompts displayed on medication boards and trolleys, were also developed and introduced. They help to give a structured step-by-step guide staff can follow, to ensure they are providing the best possible care for patients.
Jun continues: “Staff feedback has been really positive. We’ve also seen a 50% or more reduction in omitted TCM administration incidents after introducing TIMELY approach, with improvement continuing over later quarters.
“TIMELY tool delivers high impact at minimal cost – a scalable safety intervention with returns that can be measured.”
Medicine management lead, Stacey Smith, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been nominated for this award.
“It’s been a fantastic team effort, and the success reflects the commitment of colleagues across pharmacy as well as the multi-disciplinary teams who have supported the project along the way from emergency care and beyond.’
“Most importantly, this project has made a real difference to patient safety. By keeping the approach simple and focused, staff feel more confident to act quickly and ensure patients receive the medicines they need on time.”
The work has already attracted interest from organisations including Parkinson’s UK, Specialist Pharmacy Services (SPS) and other NHS trusts, who are interested in adapting the same approach for time critical medicines.
The winners will be announced at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards ceremony on 28 September 2026.