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Medication when the Person is Away from {{org_field_name}} Policy

Policy Statement

This policy is written to explain the home’s approach to those occasions when a resident spends periods away from the home, eg on holiday, and needs to continue taking prescribed medication that would otherwise be administered by the home’s staff. It is not intended to cover times when the person has been admitted to hospital, where a separate policy will apply. Policy is written to comply with the Care Quality Commission’s Guidance about Compliance: Essential Standards of Quality and Safety, specifically.

Procedures

Where residents are responsible for their own medication in the home it can be expected that they will continue to be responsible for their medication when away from the home, subject to an assessment of any risks to the safe taking of their medication while away.

Where staff are responsible for the administration of medication within the home it can be expected that the responsibility for continuing to give the prescribed medication away from the home will be assumed by a designated carer such as a relative or friend.

The home will then enter into an agreement with the designated carer that she/he will be responsible for the residents taking their prescribed medication safely in line with the prescription and care plan.

The home will always make sure that the designated carer:

1. receives the correct medication as originally prescribed by the GP and dispensed by the pharmacist
2. knows what the medicine is intended to do
3. knows whether there are any special precautions, eg to give the medicine with food
4. will be able to confirm, eg by recording or noting, that the medication has been taken as prescribed including where the medication is in the form of a controlled monitoring dosage system or pack
5. will report any discrepancies or difficulties in following the prescription plan so that any implications can be checked
6. will take action to remedy any difficulties and knows how to obtain help and advice if necessary, eg if the medication runs out
7. will keep the medicines in a safe place and in line with storage instructions
8. will not administer any additional medication without seeking professional advice
9. will not administer any medication covertly.

The home asks the designated carer to sign to confirm that she/he:

1. accepts the responsibility for the safe administration of the person’s medication
2. can meet the conditions that are described above
3. will report on the person’s return that the medication has been administered safely as prescribed and will report any difficulties that have arisen.

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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: {{next_review_date}}

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