Learning Goals
Scope
This Safe and Secure Handling, Administration and Supply of Medicines Policy has been developed to promote patient safety and provide the staff who handle and administer medicines with a framework for good practice in Medicines Management.
It is the policy that all staff who work with medicines, including those employed by other agencies but working for Healthcare at Home, must follow the procedures detailed and referred to in the Healthcare at Home’s Safe and Secure Handling, Administration and Supply of Medicines STANDARD to be read in conjunction with this policy.
Exceptions and variations are permitted only where local protocols have been written by external organisations and adopted by HaH and approved by the HaH Clinical Governance Committee.Wilful, dangerous or repeated failure to follow this Safe and Secure Handling, Administration and Supply of Medicines Policy and/or Safe and Secure Handling, Administration and Supply of Medicines STANDARD by staff who handle medicines, will result in disciplinary action.
Purpose
This Safe and Secure Handling, Administration and Supply of Medicines Policy and accompanying Safe and Secure Handling, Administration and Supply of Medicines STANDARD, defines the practices and procedures to be followed for prescribing, ordering, dispensing, wholesale supply, storing, administration, transport and destruction of medicines.
It reflects changing practice and is in accordance with professional guidelines and National Institute of Clinical Excellence, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) legislation.
No policy or standard can anticipate all circumstances, therefore any practice not outlined in this policy and associated standard must be approved by the Clinical Governance Committee before implementation after appropriate risk assessment and change control processes. This Policy gives clear guidance to Healthcare at Home employees during the procurement of medicines, safe supply and use of medicines. This is done following the below four key principles in line with The Royal Pharmaceutical Society;
Principle 1: Ensure assurance arrangements – ‘say what we do and why we do it’
Principle 2: Ensure capacity and capability – ‘people are trained and ensure they have the necessary competencies and resources’
Principle 3: Seek assurance we are safe – ‘do what we say and prove it’
Principle 4: Continually improve – ‘improve what we do’
