Objective: To assess the accuracy of medication-related information as a preliminary phase to the development of a comprehensive medication liaison service. Method: During a 30-minute post-admission interview, the pharmacist research officer compiled a demographic profile, medical history, and a comprehensive drug use history on 208 randomly selected inpatient admissions. Multiple information sources were then evaluated to cross validate the above information and to resolve conflicts with medication profiles charted by the admitting physicians. All medication changes during the admission, and subsequent discharge medication profiles, length of stay, diagnoses and co-morbidities were recorded. Results: For the study sample, medication-related information was complex in terms of the variability in data; large numbers of medications, frequency of changes made, and numerous information discrepancies. Inconsistencies between information charted by the admitting doctor and that obtained from other accessible information sources were common; e.g. 0.5 ± 1.0 (mean ± SD) medications (range 0-5) were unintentionally omitted from admission drug lists, while 1.38 ± 2.04 (range 0-12) medications current on the medication chart were omitted in error from the discharge prescription. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the need for pharmacists to improve the processes by which medication-related information is collected and managed; to ensure that accurate patient data are available to facilitate medication decision making in both hospital and community environments.

A total population study of neonaticide, infanticide and child homicide is reported. There are seven defineable syndromes of unlawful child killing which include: neonaticide, infanticide, non-accidental injury, the deprivation-starvation syndrome, euthanasia, killing of family members followed by the suicide of the killer, and child murder. 49 such cases are reported from a base population of 2 million people, over a 10-year period of investigation. The syndromes of neonaticide and non-accidental injury each contribute some 20 per cent of cases in the full spectrum of unlawful child killing. 18 cases of fatal non-accidental injury were reported over this time. With modern crisis intervention facilities, standard hospital rules for the management of acute cases of non-accidental injury, and co-ordinated child abuse centres, approximately 2 per cent only of non-accidental injury cases should come to a fatal conclusion.

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Nixon, J. W., Pearn, J. H. and Petrie, G. M. (1979). Aust. Paediatr. J., 15, 260–262 Childproof safety barriers. An ergonomic study to reduce child trauma due to environmental hazards. Trauma is the biggest killer of young children in Australia. An ergonomic study has been undertaken to test the ability of 500 Australian children to pass safety fences of various heights. Eighty per cent of 2 year olds, the modal age for child drowning, cannot climb a 60 cm (2 ft) fence. Twenty percent of 3 year olds can climb a 1.2 (4 ft) barrier. Cumulative frequency curves for the ability to climb safety barriers, by age. are presented. The Median age for negotiating a 1.4 m (4 ft 6 in) safety fence is 4 years. It takes on average only 12 seconds for a five year old to climb a 1.2 m safety fence and 17 seconds to climb a 1.4 m barrier. Predictions for the reduction in child trauma are given, if safety legislation were introduced to cope with modern environmental hazards. If a 90 cm barrier protects an enviromental hazard, child trauma will be reduced by 65%, and by 75% if a 1.4 m barrier is used. Specifications for compulsory safety devices vary from region to region, but public acceptance demands a minimum of interference with both physical freedom and with aesthetics.