Background and importance The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients who are hospitalised take levodopa within 30 min of their individually prescribed administration time. In some cases this may require self-medication. Serious complications can develop if levodopa is not taken on time that can lead to increased care needs and increased length of stay in hospital.

Aim and objectives To evaluate whether the prescription and administration of PD medicines in an acute hospital complies with best practice recommendations.

Material and methods This baseline audit was carried out over a 12-week period in 2021. Data were collected on 50 PD admissions to the hospital. Data relating to PD medicines prescribed for the management of motor symptoms were collected. The following information was recorded:

• Unintentional discrepancies on the admission prescription following a medication reconciliation

• The number of delayed or omitted doses of PD medicines since arrival to hospital until time of data collection

• The number of patients that administered their own PD medicines.

Results Unintentional discrepancies on the admission prescription were associated with 34% (n=47) of PD medicines reviewed. The majority of patients (n=40; 80%) were affected by a delay or omission of PD medicines since admission to hospital. Over one-third (n=106; 36%) of doses of levodopa PD medicines were delayed or omitted. One-quarter of medication reconciliations were completed within 24 hours of the patient meeting the Emergency Department triage nurse. One-fifth (20%) of admissions took their own PD medicines while in hospital.

Conclusion and relevance Greater emphasis should be placed on accurately prescribing and administering PD medicines for patients on admission to hospital. Consideration should be given to introducing a self-administration policy for PD patients admitted to hospital.

References and/or acknowledgements 1. Quality statement 4: Levodopa in hospital or a care home | Parkinson’s disease | Quality standards | NICE. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs164/chapter/quality-statement-4-levodopa-in-hospital-or-a-care-home.

2. Recommendations | Parkinson’s disease in adults | Guidance | NICE. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71/chapter/recommendations.

Conflict of interest No conflict of interest