"hospital prescription policies"

Thank you for your feedback and we are sorry that you were not happy with the Trust policy regarding patients’ own medication. We request that patients bring in their medication are for several reasons: • To correctly identify current medication treatment • Check understanding of how the patient currently takes their medicine • Discuss recent changes in the patient's medication • Ensure continuity of patient medication and prevent omissions and delays in continuing medication • In some cases, reduce possible delays in discharge due to waiting for medication • Storage must be in a safe secure area as we need to safeguard all patients, which would not be possible if medication was available openly on the ward While a patient is an inpatient it is important that medication is administered under the supervision of a nurse as: • Prescribed medicines can only be given in accordance to the orders of a doctor and according to his/her directions. • Medication changes occur of which the patient may not be aware but are at the direction of a doctor (such as stopping a medicine) • Ensuring that medication is only administered to the patient to whom it has been prescribed • Patients’ capabilities may change during their stay due to their illness or procedures that would mean it would not be safe for them to self administer • Monitoring the affects of patients’ treatment to ensure best treatment - this cannot be performed if we do not know what the patient has taken. It is understood that the medication is the property of the patient and should be returned to the patient on discharge or with their consent destroyed if the treatment is changed. Verbal consent for safe storage and administration of the patient's own medication is obtained from the patient, usually by the nurse looking after them.