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Prescriptions Collection Policy

{{org_field_name}} believes that everyone has the right to manage and administer their own medication if they wish to and that this is an important part of maintaining their independence, dignity and autonomy. This not only applies to the keeping and administration of medicines but also to their collection and dealing with prescriptions.

However, {{org_field_name}} also recognises that some people will require help with the collection of their prescriptions and/or their medication as part of their home care arrangements.

Legislation and Guidance

{{org_field_name}} will act at all times in compliance with relevant legislation and best practice guidance relating to the management and administration of medication in adult social care, including:

• The Medicines Act 1968
• The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
• NG67 Managing Medicines for Adults Receiving Social Care in the Community (March 2017) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
• QS171 Medicines Management for People Receiving Social Care in the Community (July 2018) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
• NG21 Home Care: Delivering Personal Care and Practical Support to Older People Living in Their Own Homes (September 2015) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
• The Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines (December 2018) Royal Pharmaceutical Society

{{org_field_name}} understands that The Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines, published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, is written primarily for healthcare settings. However, the RPS state that some of its content is applicable to adult social care settings and can be used to inform social care policies.

Policy

1. Members of staff from {{org_field_name}} should provide support to enable safe self-administration and collection of prescriptions/medication wherever possible.
2. To ensure the safety of both people using the service and staff, any request for care involving medication (including the collection of prescriptions) from care staff belonging to {{org_field_name}} should be identified within a written care plan and should be discussed with line managers before being implemented, to ensure that the role being requested is appropriate and can be performed safely and competently by home care staff. No member of care staff belonging to {{org_field_name}} should proceed with care involving medication (including the collection of prescriptions), unless they have the explicit agreement of a line supervisor or agency manager and this has been entered in the plan of care.
3. When collecting prescriptions, home care staff should follow these guidelines:
   a. wherever the possibility of an arrangement exists for the GP practice to automatically inform a pharmacist of a prescription and for that prescription to be delivered to a person by the pharmacist, this arrangement should be supported by home care staff from {{org_field_name}} in preference to actually collecting the prescription themselves
   b. where no such arrangement exists, and where a suitable entry has been made in the plan of care, home care staff should:
   i. ensure that both the GP surgery and the pharmacy are informed of who will be collecting the prescription and that, in the case of repeat prescriptions, the appropriate forms have been completed and handed to the surgery
   ii. collect the prescription from the GP surgery, following whatever prescription system is in place at the surgery and giving the surgery sufficient warning as is required in the case of repeat prescriptions
   iii. take the prescription immediately to the pharmacy and follow whatever system is in place at the pharmacy
   iv. where necessary, produce proof of identity
   v. transport the medication immediately to the someone’s home
   vi. show the medication to the person or a relative and go through the prescription to ensure that it is correct
   vii. place the medication in a safe place as agreed with the person, relative or other care staff.

Where a member of staff has any queries about the prescription or collection of a prescription they should, with the person’s permission, discuss the matter with the GP or pharmacist involved or with their line manager.

Staff in {{org_field_name}} should never undertake any duties or roles which they have not been trained to do or for which they do not feel competent.

Training

In this agency:

• All new staff will receive training as part of their induction covering basic information about common medicines and how to recognise and deal with medication problems.
• Those who will be involved in medicines administration in people’s homes will have competency assessments and additional training to the level required by their roles and responsibilities. Training will include procedures relating to the collection of prescriptions and/or medication from the doctors/pharmacy.
• All training will reflect up-to-date evidence-based guidelines in what to do if a person does not take the medicines prescribed for them.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next review date: this policy is reviewed annualy (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.

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