The purpose of this customisable Medicines Management Policy is to safeguard the best interests and wellbeing of clients accessing your services by setting out the practice to be followed and the responsibility of all concerned in relation to medication management and related tasks.

Residents who live in care homes are likely be on some form of regular medication, whether prescribed or bought over the counter. While some residents may be able to manage their own medicines, this must be carefully assessed and monitored. Alternatively, the majority of residents will require some level of support to manage their medication, be it full assistance with administration or simple reminders and prompts, and this policy sets out the processes by which you can aim to manage medication safely.

Medicine administration is a regulated activity under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014.

Medicines support is any support that enables a client to manage their medicines. In practical terms, this covers:

• prompting or reminding clients to take their medicines
• helping clients remove medicines from packaging
• administering some or all of a client’s medicines.