Following Medication policies and guidelines is not just about the primary purpose of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our clients; it also protects you, providing clear rules to ensure that you are never in doubt about dispensing, storing, recording or disposing of client medication. As a careworker, you should only ever administer medicines that you have been trained to give, and this will likely include assisting your clients to take tablets or oral mixtures, apply creams, ointments or drops, or to administer inhaled medications.

Our mandatory training at Social Care Alba (SCA) provides you with all you need to handle this crucial element of your role, and support is always on hand, where needed, if you are ever in doubt.

Keeping our clients safe

Elderly people – particularly those with dementia-related diseases, may often forget to take medication or be at risk of ‘doubling up’, having forgotten that they have already done so. And in fact, medication can be incredibly confusing for anyone who has been prescribed numerous drug therapies for multiple health issues, with some to be taken before or after food, in the morning, or at night. This is why your role is critical to reducing risk of error – not only through due diligence of our processes, but also by being mindful of clients’ capacity to take their own medication, as a delay or error in self-administering medication could severely impact their health and wellbeing. Our clients and their families should always feel assured that SCA staff are meticulous in their management of medication, and we encourage our staff to communicate changes or concerns, as appropriate.

Dispensing medication

There may, on occasion, be unforeseen problems which arise as a result of medications being missed, for example, when a client is refusing their medication, is sick, or is taken to hospital for emergency treatment.  Any and all issues around dispensing medication should be raised according to our Medication Policy with appropriate health professionals or supervisors timeously. This is a key part of our risk management, and helps to keep our clients safe from unnecessary worry, discomfort or health complications. 

Recording-keeping/medication admin

All medications administered MUST be recorded at the time they are given. Where drugs have not been signed-off as being administered, but the NOMAD pack (if they have one) shows the medication missing, it MUST be escalated immediately. Assumptions cannot be made at any point when it comes to administering treatments. When all staff adhere strictly to the policies provided by SCA, any errors in records can be picked up and addressed, protecting the client, the staff and the organisation. 

Storage of medication

Different types of medication require different types of safe storage. Some may need to be kept in low temperatures, in which case, a safe compartment in the fridge should be retained, if safe and appropriate to do so. Commonly, medications are dispensed by pharmacies in time-specific blister packs, ensuring the patient can take the right medicines at the right time. However, the way in which multiple medications are stored and dispensed will be agreed according to the needs and capacity of each client, and care workers should be careful to maintain consistency, and store medication as agreed.

Disposal of medication

Sometimes, a type of medication may be changed, with the remaining medication needing to be disposed of – usually by being returned to the original dispensing point. Instructions on medication disposal should be followed at all times, and this also applies to biomedical waste such as dressings, sharps or other waste. Should you find that any medication or waste has not been disposed of properly, this must be brought to the attention of the appropriate member of staff as highlighted in our policy. We are all human and can make mistakes, but these are issues which can have devastating consequences if not addressed immediately.

Support is on hand!

We want you to be able to feel confident in managing medication; that’s why – in addition to our training and policies – we have an open door approach within our management team. Be assured that you can ask for guidance and support whenever needed; there is always someone on hand to speak to and discuss any concerns you may have.

For more information please log in to QCS and read: SCM03 – Overarching Medication Policy