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Cutting Medication

In this section

  1. 1
    Introduction
  2. 2
    Scope
  3. 3
    Legal and Regulatory context
  4. 4
    Duty of Care
  5. 5
    Principles
  6. 6
    Responsibilites
  7. 7
    Training and competency
  8. 8
    Information required before staff may assist with medication
  9. 9
    People assessed as able to manage their own medication
  10. 10
    Prompting/assisting with/administering medication
  11. 11
    Emergency Medication Administration
  12. 12
    Side effects/adverse reactions to medications
  13. 13
    Medication administration errors and incidents
  14. 14
    Ordering/receiving medication supplies
  15. 15
    Storing medication safely
  1. 16
    Cutting Medication
  2. 17
    Continuity of care
  3. 18
    Returning medication at the end of service/disposal of unwanted medication
  4. 19
    Controlled drugs
  5. 20
    Medication records and data protection
  6. 21
    Medication audits
  7. 22
    Emergency Planning
  8. 23
    Concerns and complaints
  9. 24
    Implementing, monitoring and reviewing policy
  10. 25
    Appendix 1: Definitions
  11. 26
    Appendix 2: What must be recorded on the MAR
  12. 27
    Appendix 3: Minimum requirements: Staff guidance and procedures for over-the-counter products for general use
  13. 28
    Appendix 4: Legal Context
  14. 29
    Policy Details

16.1    Some people may require half-doses of medications, and staff may be able to cut the medications providing:

  • The medication is supplied as a tablet that has score lines and
  • The patient information sheet and/or box states medication can be split 


16.2    If staff are unsure if medication can be cut, they must not act and must speak with a pharmacist and services will be stopped until such a time medication can be taken safely.

Policy published: July 2022

Policy reviewed: September 2026

Last reviewed: