Strengthening Insulin Safety Through System-Wide Collaboration

Introduction

Insulin is a vital medicine for managing diabetes but is frequently linked to serious medication errors in both hospital and community settings. Because of its complexity and high-alert status, coordinated efforts are essential to prevent avoidable harm and ensure safer outcomes for patients.

Key Strategies for Safer Insulin Use

A whole-system approach to insulin safety requires multiple interventions across services and settings. Recommendations from the Specialist Pharmacy Service include:

• Education and upskilling: Supporting staff with consistent training on insulin prescribing, administration, and monitoring
• Harmonised protocols: Establishing uniform standards for how insulin is prescribed and delivered across all care environments
• Digital tools and systems: Leveraging e-prescribing and clinical decision support to reduce inconsistencies and errors
• Patient involvement: Empowering individuals with diabetes to understand and manage their own treatment safely and effectively

Insights from the MSATS Series

During a recent webinar hosted by the Specialist Pharmacy Service as part of the Medication Safety Across the System (MSATS) series, panellists discussed practical measures to improve insulin safety. The session covered:

• Challenges in managing insulin across transitions of care
• Learning from patient experiences and reported errors
• How services have introduced effective local and national safety measures
• The critical role of documentation and communication in insulin use

Conclusion

Efforts to enhance insulin safety must extend beyond isolated initiatives. A coordinated, multi-disciplinary strategy supported by training, technology and shared standards is essential to reduce risks and improve outcomes for people with diabetes.

Citation:
Specialist Pharmacy Service. (2025, May 1). Developing insulin safety across a system. SPS.