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Good Practice Statement for the Preparation of Injections in Near-Patient Areas, including Clinical and Home Environments

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
1 Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Hazards associated with the preparation of medicines for injection
1.3 Current standards
1.4 Improving practice
2 Good Practice Statements
2.1 Medicines should only be given by injection when no other route is suitable
2.2 Wherever possible, injections that are available in a ready-to-use form should be used
2.3 When the injection is available in a ready-to-use form, and there are no health and safety risks to the operator or to the environment, it should be transferred to the administration device in near-patient areas, and used immediately
2.4 Where a ready-to-use form of an injection is not available, a multi-professional risk assessment should be completed to determine the most appropriate location for preparation, and any action required to eliminate or minimise hazards
2.5 Parenteral nutrition solutions that require to be prepared and cytotoxic medicines, should be made available through a pharmacy in the final container or device for administration
2.6 The preparation of injections in near-patient areas should be carried out by suitably instructed patients, carers or healthcare staff, in a suitable environment, using safe procedures
2.7 Injections prepared in near-patient areas should be administered immediately
2.8 Regular, planned audit of the preparation of injections in near-patient areas in healthcare premises should be undertaken
2.9 Where local aseptic dispensing services are required, they must comply with the national standards
Appendix 1 Remit and scope of the Expert Group
Appendix 2 Composition and membership of the Expert Group
Appendix 3 Decision process
Appendix 4 Risk assessment process
Appendix 5 Information and instructions for patients and carers on the preparation of injections
Appendix 6 Example training programme for the preparation of injections
Appendix 7 Example standard operating procedure for the preparation of injections in near-patient areas in healthcare premises
Appendix 8 References

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