NICE has published draft good practice guidance for managing medicines in care homes which is now available for consultation.
Purpose of the guidance:
The purpose of the guidance is to provide recommendations for good practice on the systems and processes for managing medicines in care homes.
The guidance considers prescribing, handling and administering medicines to residents living in care homes and the provision of care or services relating to medicine services in care homes.
Recommendations
The good practice guidance has been developed for people and organisations involved with managing medicines in care homes, including people who live in a care home, the providers of care in care homes, providers of services to care homes and their residents, and those with an interest in how care in care homes is provided.
The recommendations for good practice have been developed by the Guidance Development Group (GDG), using relevant legislation, guidance and policy as the foundation for good practice.
The GDG concluded that the following areas need careful consideration:
- Care home medicines policy
- Involving residents
- Communication
- Records management
- Medication errors
- Safeguarding
- Medicines reconciliation
- Medication review
- Prescribing medicines
- Ordering medicines
- Dispensing and supplying medicines
- Receiving, storing and disposing of medicines
- Self-administration
- Administration of medicines by care home staff
- Covert administration of medicines
- Homely remedies
- Training and competency
More information and a copy of the draft guidance is available on the NICE website. The recommendations are provisional and may change after the consultation period which ends at 5pm on Monday 16 December 2013.
