News & Views
Share your experiences and views with us.
We'd love to hear about your opinions and experiences. Whether you're a care home Owner, Matron or Manager, Registered Nurse, Carer, Social Worker, Doctor, Pharmacist, Inspector, Service User (resident) or Relative, please visit our contact us form and share your views.
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News
Sadly we hear all to often about tragic events that hit the News Headlines involving medication errors. Many families are becoming increasingly concerned about the conditions and standards of care in care homes. These tragic events are avoidable if care providers and care givers follow procedures correctly in accordance with regulatory guidelines and legislation.
Views
The decision to move a much loved relative into a care home raises very real questions about how relatives will be treated. Will my relative receive proper food and medical treatment? Will my relative be assisted by staff with basic daily activities, such as bathing, dressing and will they get their pills on time? Will my relative be able to live out his or her life with compassion and dignity? These are all legitimate questions and concerns that families worry about.
Share you views with us and help raise public and professional awareness about safer medication practices. How can we improve service delivery in this area of care?
Professional Issues
In February 2006, a CSCI follow up study report showed that nearly half of care homes are failing these medication standards. The report 'handled with care?' found that people are given the wrong medication, someone else’s medication, medication in the wrong doses or no medication at all. The report also found that staff are poorly trained and records are not properly kept.
To view the full Handled with care? report please click here (pdf document)
Dame Denise Platt, Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, said:
"Giving people the right medicine, in the right doses, at the right time is critical".
"It is vital that all care homes treat this issue with the utmost seriousness. They have a duty of care towards the people in their homes."
She said "all care homes must keep proper medication records and ensure staff are properly trained".
It's clearly evident that poor practices must be identified and stamped out. Care providers and care givers have to be more vigilant, more attentative and take a more serious approach to medicine management.
We would like you to contact us to hear your professional views.
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