GovWire

The MHRA ran a 16-week consultation from 13 October 2022 to 31 January 2023, gathering insight and recommendations through an online survey, interviews and focus groups, and a number of organisations also submitted written responses. Responses were received from HCPs from all 4 nations of the UK, as well as patient safety leads, patient safety experts, representatives of professional bodies and patient safety organisations.

The feedback was remarkably consistent, and the MHRA values the clear and direct suggestions about what works and what needs improvement. This addressed not only safety communications and websites, but also about how the MHRA raises awareness of its own activities and engages with HCPs and organisations.

The consultation outcomes will underpin the MHRAs risk and safety three-year communications strategy, shaping the MHRA safety communication output and ongoing engagement with HCPs and ensuring that the MHRA supports HCPs and organisations across the medicines, devices, and patient safety landscape. Patients remain at the heart of the agencys focus, with plans to further embed meaningful patient involvement across the agencys regulatory pathways, and to develop efficacy and safety information that better meets the needs of all patients.

There are 13 key recommendations, which fall into 4 main themes:

• communications
• websites
• awareness and education
• engagement.

Though the remit for many actions lies with the MHRA, for others, there are many interdependencies at the organisational and system level whose support will affect how well the MHRA is able to respond.