3.Self-Medication Risk Assessment Will Consider the Following Factors

HampshireCounty Council recognises the right of the individual service user to live a lifestyle of his / her choosing, subject to appropriate Risk Assessment. Specifically, this summarises the arrangements in place to allow service users to administer their own medication:

1. The decision to agree to a resident or service user self-medicating, and if so to what degree, must be based upon the individual’s wishes and an appropriate risk assessment.

2.Self medication risk assessment foranyresident or service user will follow a documented protocol, which will provide a permanent record in the individual’s personal file and will be reviewed, as necessary, as part of the care plan.

3.Self-medication Risk Assessment will consider the following factors:

3.1The individual’s own wishes

3.2Mental capacity of the individual

3.3Physical capability i.e. degree of frailty which may affect the ability to handle the medicines, such as opening child-proof closures on tablet bottles, popping tablets through blister packs and measuring teaspoon fluid dosages etc.

3.4Recommendations of the multidisciplinary team

3.5Security of storage.

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3.6Disposal systems for needles (insulin) and other medicine containers.

4.For those service users who self-medicate, the following principles will be observed for the storage of medication for that person’s use;

4.1Lockable storage will be provided, the location of which will vary according to the home where the resident lives or Day Care unit the service user attends, so that medication can be stored safely. This does NOT apply to Controlled Drugs which must be stored according to the Medication Management Policy 06/09as set out in Practice No. 127.

4.2Where necessary the individual’s GP will be asked to prescribe medicines in smaller unit containers than usual and most suited to the individual’s physical needs, e.g. instructions in large lettering, easy grip containers.

4.3For insulin-dependent individuals who self-inject, a small sharps container will be provided for that person’s sole use. This container will be disposed of in accordance with Practice No. 140.

5.Individuals who are self medicating will be clearly monitored to ensure that they are taking the correct dosages at the correct time, and that they keep appropriate records on the Medicine administration record sheets.

Where a resident or service user requires ‘prompting’ to take their medication, a record of the prompt should be kept on the medication administration record.

If it is felt, at any time, that the individual’s health or safety are at risk, the G.P. should be contacted with a view to review, and if necessary revision, of the administration regime. In all such cases full details of the action taken, together with the justification, must be recorded in the individual’s clinical notes and care plan, and the risk assessment updated.

6. Residents who self administer their medication may still ask the designated staff to order their medication for them. In this case records must be kept of all orders and receipts into the home, but ‘self-administering’ must be written on the medication administration record.