Why you should read this article:

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To recognise the importance of proactive deprescribing in improving patient outcomes, and saving money, with respect to the cost of the medicines and the unnecessary use of NHS resources

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To understand the barriers and enablers for patients and healthcare professionals in relation to deprescribing

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To consider your role in proactive deprescribing in terms of supporting patients when they trial discontinuation of medicines and require follow-up consultations

Deprescribing is the term used to describe the discontinuation of medicines. It can be either ‘reactive’, for example in response to an adverse event or therapeutic failure, or ‘proactive’, when the prescriber and patient decide to discontinue the medicine because its future benefits no longer outweigh its potential for harm. At present, there is a limited amount of proactive deprescribing activity in primary and secondary care. This article provides the rationale for increasing proactive deprescribing activity, lists the medicines this relates to, identifies the barriers and enablers to its implementation, and describes the potential role of the nurse in this process.