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Your medicines
Standard 11
If you are taking medication or medication is part of your treatment, it will be managed during your visit and at discharge to maximise the benefit and minimise the risk of harm from medicines.
1 Your medicines, including controlled drugs, are managed within a policy for the prescribing, dispensing, use, storage, disposal and administration of medicines for you during your visit to the service. The policy is based on current legislation and relevant up-to-date guidance. 15
2 If you bring medicines into the service that you need during your visit, you know that they are stored safely and used, if necessary, only for your treatment. Your medicines are always available to you at the prescribed times.
3 You can discuss your medication, its benefits, risks, side effects and interactions with other medication, including over the counter and complementary therapies, with your doctor or nurse.
4 You will be given an initial dose of your drug therapy on site if your condition requires immediate treatment. If this is unavailable, the service will make sure that, before you leave the premises, you or your representative will be able to get hold of this drug treatment (or its equivalent) in a timely and reasonable manner without jeopardising your condition.
5 Before you leave the service, you know that you or someone you choose (for example, one of your family or a carer) will receive information in writing from staff about any medication that they have prescribed for you. The information includes an explanation of:
- how your medication will work;
- the reasons for taking the medication;
- any side effects likely to be experienced and what to do about them;
- where or how you can access your prescribed treatment;
- how quickly the treatment should be started; and
- the arrangements, where relevant, for repeat prescriptions and appropriate reviews.
6 If you feel you may be unsure about any aspect of taking your medicines after leaving, the information may be shared with a representative of your choice.
7 If you are capable of giving consent to medication and then refuse it and understand the consequences of refusal, staff must respect this.
8 If you are not capable of understanding that you need to take medication and that it is necessary for your health and welfare, there are legal powers that allow other people to give permission for you to receive treatment. 16
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