Rotherham Medication Support Guidance
The latest version of the Rotherham Medication Support Guidance can be found here.
This new guidance allows for administration from original packaging, meaning that there will no longer be a blanket requirement for medication to be in a pharmacy filled measured dosage system.
The Guidance applies to RMBC commissioned home care packages only (via the brokerage team). For CHC packages, commissioned by SYICB, the providers will work to their own policy.
Please note: There are three levels of support described in the Guidance – only Levels 1 and 2 apply at this time. Any activity described in Level 3 cannot be undertaken.
For existing people accessing the service, each provider will be undertaking medication reviews and liaising with the pharmacist/families/the person accessing service to advise that an MDS is no longer required – if that is the case. There may be times when a measured dosage system is necessary following an assessment.
Prior to implementing this new Guidance, all contracted home care and support providers have trained their staff on the requirements in the Guidance and are implementing a program of competency checks for each care worker as they move over to the new way of working.
Recommendations to support review of Dossetts
- That there is patient assessment to identify the most appropriate intervention to help people use their medicines effectively and safely
- Existing patients should not be stopped without warning
- That original packs of medicines are preferred in the absence of specific need for an MCA
- That carers have appropriate training to administer medicines from original packaging
- Best practice is followed where an MCA is assessed as the most appropriate intervention for a patient
- That policies and processes are reviewed or created that ensure they are patient-centred
- Are the risks associated with dossett trays eg: risk of no available PIL, risk for incorrect filling outweighed by the benefit to the patient?
- Has a review of ongoing need been performed in the last 12 months?
- Is the patient stable? Dossett trays should not be amended but where changes are required recalled, and re-issued with full new prescription for all items. Patients where changes are occurring are unlikely to be suitable for MDS or will require weekly prescriptions
Dossetts are to assist the patient, not to assist 3rd parties and it is prudent to review dossett provision where it is not the patient who is the primary beneficiary of the tray
Template assessment – Community-Medication-Adjustment-Suitability-Assessment