1.1 Gloucestershire County Council (we / the council) owns and operates residential / short break homes and day centres throughout Gloucestershire. Key terms are identified in bold and defined in Appendix 1.
1.2 Throughout this policy, “people” refers to adults, children, and young people unless otherwise stated.
1.3 This policy applies to adults, children and young people receiving services from Gloucestershire County Council. Where specific legal or practice requirements differ for children or adults, these are clearly set out within the relevant sections.
1.4 Many of the people who use the council’s In-House Services need to take medication, both prescribed and unprescribed. This policy supports the need to ensure all medication activities are completed safely, but with opportunities to promote independence, choice and control.
1.5 This policy sets out the council’s requirements for safe medication management and administration within these services to ensure that:
- We are supporting someone in order to maximise and promote their independence when managing and administering their own medicines
- potential risks related to medication are identified and managed
- medication is given safely and as prescribed when staff are responsible for medicine management.
1.6 We promote independence throughout all our services. We will support people to look after and take their own medication unless this may put them or others at risk of harm.
1.7 Children aged 16 or over are assumed to be competent and that under 16 the test of whether they are competent is the "Gillick" test. Could include a link to the NHS guidance: https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/consent-to-treatment/children/
1.8 We will take a person-centred approach to medication where this is assessed as necessary. The nature and level of support depend on individual needs, for example, staff may prompt people to take their medication, supervise while they take it, assist with anything the person cannot physically manage for themselves or administer medication.
- Prompting means that where necessary staff will remind people about their medication, for example to take it at a particular time or with food.
- Assisting means that staff will provide practical help with anything that people cannot physically manage for themselves. For example, staff might remove tablets from a blister pack; shake a medication bottle, remove the lid and measure a dose; move medications to and from secure storage; or provide other practical assistance.
1.9 Staff will take full responsibility for managing medication for
- anyone over 16 assessed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) as lacking requisite mental capacity to do so themselves
- any child under the age of 18 who lacks capacity or who is not competent to do so themselves subject to obtaining the consent of all those who hold parental responsibility for the child.
For medications relating to ‘delegated healthcare activities’ see https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Support-for-leaders-and-managers/Managing-a-service/Delegated-healthcare-activities/Supporting-resources.aspx
1.10 This policy has been written to support consistent, lawful medication practice across adult and children’s services, while recognising where different legal and safeguarding frameworks apply.
