Support with taking medication
It is important for the independence of people living in care homes that they are involved as much as possible in taking their medicines. We will carry out an assessment to find out how much support a person needs to take their own medicines. The assessment should involve the person who is living in the care home, care home staff and, if the person wishes, their family members or carers. The person’s GP or a pharmacist may also be involved.
The assessment will include:
Discussing what the person would like
Checking whether there will be a risk to the person (or others) if they are responsible for taking their own medicines
Checking how able the person is to take their own medicines
Determining how the medicines will be stored (this is usually in a lockable cupboard or drawer in the person's room).
Sometimes support will involve doing things like pharmacists and GPs supplying medicines in packages that make them easier to use (for example, by putting medicines for each time of day and each day of the week in a separate compartment in a box). This can help people have more control of their medicines.
A person who is taking medicines that need special storage should be able to get to their medicines when they need them.
