Confident Deprescribing: Practical Skills for Safer Prescribing in Older People Course
Course code: A153Course summary
Are you ever unsure what to stop, when to stop it—or how to explain why?
This practical, hands-on virtual workshop will equip non-medical prescribers with the confidence and tools to make safe, evidence-informed decisions when managing patients on multiple medications. You’ll learn how to identify potentially harmful combinations, streamline repeat prescriptions, reduce treatment burden for patients, and ensure prescribing is always safe, appropriate, and cost-effective. Whether you’re doing structured medication reviews, attending ward rounds, or advising in care homes—this session will support your real-world decision-making.
Delivered live via Zoom, the course includes case studies, quick-reference tools, and time-saving strategies to improve prescribing in older adults.
Who should attend?
- Non-medical prescribers (nurses, pharmacists, AHPs)
- GPs and medical prescribers involved in medication reviews
- Care home clinicians and managers
- Clinical pharmacists, PCN pharmacists, or practice-based prescribing teams
- MDT members involved in medicines optimisation or deprescribing work
- Why Attend?
- Reduce time spent reviewing unnecessary or ineffective medications
- Learn how to have better conversations with patients about stopping meds
- Support CQC expectations on safer care and medication safety
- Build confidence managing polypharmacy in older adults with multiple conditions
- Learn how to use up-to-date deprescribing and review tools
Important notes
All course material, evaluations and certificates provided.
This course runs from 09:30am- 4:00pm
Cost
| Course duration | Course CPD | Full price (incl VAT) per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day(s) | 8 hour(s) | £199 |
Discounts
| Dates | Block size | Block discount |
|---|---|---|
| 23/06/2026 | 4 | 10% |
| 08/09/2026 | 4 | 10% |
| 24/11/2026 | 4 | 10% |
Dates / venues
| Location - venue | Dates | No. of people |
|---|
Aims / objectives
By the end of this course, attendees will be able to:
- Recognise when medicines may be doing more harm than good
- Apply current UK tools
- Confidently identify and prioritise which medicines to review, reduce or stop
- Make effective shared decisions with patients and document these clearly
- Avoid common pitfalls in renal impairment, cognitive decline, and high-risk prescribing
- Manage compliance issues using practical solutions
- Understand and apply current Yellow Card reporting standards
Course programme
Prescribing in Practice
- What is safer prescribing in older people?
- Common red flags and how to spot them in repeat prescriptions
- The true cost of overprescribing
- Patient-centred prescribing: how to reduce treatment burden
Deprescribing with Confidence
- How to decide what to stop—and what to keep
- Using NICE guidance, and Anticholinergic Burden tools
- Managing patient concerns and withdrawal symptoms
- Writing clear, shared deprescribing plans
Smarter Medication Reviews
- Structuring effective annual medication reviews
- Quick wins that improve outcomes and reduce prescribing costs
- High-risk scenarios: renal function, hepatic impairment, QT prolongation
- Monitoring narrow therapeutic index drugs
Holistic Support & Tools
- MUST score: when to assess nutrition and when to prescribe
- Non-drug strategies for sleep, pain, anxiety, and behavioural symptoms
- Improving compliance: dosette boxes, MDS, carer involvement
- Documenting changes safely and following Yellow Card guidance
Interactive Case Clinic
- Virtual breakout sessions using real-world examples
- Deprescribing in frailty, multimorbidity, dementia, and care homes
- Troubleshooting: when you're uncertain, how to seek support
Led by
TBA
Participant Voices!
JJ- "This course gave me the tools and confidence to review and safely reduce medications in older patients. The guidance on avoiding common pitfalls has already improved my clinical practice."
OB- "I now feel empowered to make shared decisions with patients about deprescribing, applying NICE guidance and risk tools effectively. Patient safety and wellbeing are at the forefront of every consultation."
TW- "From renal impairment to cognitive decline, the case-based sessions helped me manage high-risk prescribing scenarios with confidence. The practical solutions for compliance and withdrawal management are invaluable."
LH- "I appreciated the focus on non-drug strategies, structured medication reviews, and clear documentation. This course equips clinicians to reduce treatment burden while maintaining patient-centered care."
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the course teach how to identify inappropriate long-term medications in repeat prescriptions?
Yes. It focuses on recognising prescribing red flags in older adults, including high-risk drug combinations, anticholinergic burden, and potentially inappropriate medicines in long-term repeat prescribing.
Will I learn a structured approach to deciding which medicines to deprescribe safely?
Yes. The course provides a stepwise framework for assessing benefit versus harm, prioritising medications for discontinuation, and using tools such as NICE guidance and anticholinergic burden scales.
Does the course address how to manage patient resistance or withdrawal effects during deprescribing?
Yes. It covers communication strategies for shared decision-making, managing patient concerns, and recognising and handling withdrawal symptoms during medication reduction or cessation.
Will I be trained in conducting complex medication reviews in frailty and multimorbidity?
Yes. The course includes practical approaches to structured medication reviews in high-risk groups, including frailty, dementia, renal/hepatic impairment, and care home residents, with emphasis on safe monitoring and documentation.