11.1 Emergency medication must only be administered to the person for whom it was prescribed.
11.2 Emergency medication refers to prescribed medication intended for immediate administration in response to a known, predictable medical emergency, where delay in treatment would place the person at risk of serious harm.
Examples include (but are not limited to):
- Buccal or intranasal midazolam for prolonged or clustered seizures
- Adrenaline auto‑injectors for anaphylaxis
- Rescue inhalers for acute asthma symptoms
- Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) spray for acute angina (where prescribed and authorised)
11.3 Emergency medication does not include:
- Routine prescribed medication
- PRN medication used for symptom relief that is not time‑critical
- Medications administered as part of delegated healthcare activities unless explicitly assessed and authorised in line with council and NHS guidance
11.4 Emergency medication must not be administered unless all of the following are in place:
- A current prescription from an appropriate health professional
- A clear, written emergency medication protocol provided by the prescriber
- The protocol must be incorporated into the person’s:
- medication risk assessment
- care plan
- Medication Administration Record (MAR)
- Written consent from the person, or a best interest decision documented in line with the Mental Capacity Act (2005) where the person lacks capacity.
11.5 Emergency medication protocols must specify:
- the circumstances in which the medication should be given
- the exact dose
- the route of administration
- when a dose may be repeated (if applicable)
- when to call emergency services
- any follow‑up actions required after administration
11.6 Protocols must be reviewed at least annually, and sooner if the person’s condition change, the medication or dose changes or an emergency administration occurs
11.7 Only staff who have completed specific training for the emergency medication concerned and is assessed as competent may administer the emergency medication. When administering the medication the competent staff must:
- Follow the prescribed emergency protocol exactly
- Remain with the person to monitor their condition
11.8 Staff must not make clinical judgements outside of the protocol.
11.9 Emergency medication must be:
- stored securely, but readily accessible at all times
- clearly labelled
- kept in accordance with pharmacy and manufacturer’s instructions
- checked regularly for expiry dates
11.10 When administering emergency medication, staff must:
- follow the prescribed emergency protocol exactly
- remain with the person and monitor their condition
- call 999 immediately where the protocol requires this or if the person’s condition gives cause for concern
- not delay emergency services in order to contact managers or family or those with parental responsibility
11.11 Following administration of emergency medication, staff must record the administration immediately on the MAR and the person’s care record, including:
- date and time
- dose
- reason for administration
- staff involved
11.12 The staff member must then inform a line manager or on‑call manager, the person’s family or representative (where appropriate), and relevant health professionals as required by the protocol
11.13 Review after emergency medication use staff training and risk assessments must be reviewed
