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Principles

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

Royal Pharmaceutical Society principles


5.1    All services will follow the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s eight core principles for the safe and appropriate handling of medicines in social care:

  1. People who use social care services have freedom of choice in relation to their provider of pharmaceutical care and services including dispensed medicines.
  2. Care staff know which medicines each person has and the social care service keeps a complete account of medicines.
  3. Care staff who help people with their medicines are competent.
  4. Medicines are given safely and correctly, and care staff preserve the dignity and privacy of the individual when they give medicines to them.
  5. Medicines are available when the individual needs them and the care provider make sure that unwanted medicines are disposed of safely.
  6. Medicines are stored safely.
  7. The social care service has access to advice from a pharmacist.
  8. Medicines are used to cure and prevent disease, or to relieve symptoms, and not to punish or control behaviour. 

5.2    Medication must never be used as a means of behaviour control or restraint - We all need to follow the principles laid out in STOMP: STOMP stands for “stopping overmedication of people with a learning disability, autism or both”. Details of STOMP can be found here: 
https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/improving-health/stomp/ 

Policy published : July 2022    

Policy Reviewed: September 2026

 

Last reviewed: