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Support Use Of Medication In Social Care Settings Essay Sample

Support Use Of Medication In Social Care Settings Pages
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1 Identify legislation that governs the use of medication in social care settings
The Medicines Act 1968
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Mental Capacity Act 2005
The Misuse of Drugs Safe Custody Regulations
The Data Protection Act 1998 plus equality legislation
The Access to Health Records Act 1990

1.2 Outline the legal classification system for medication
The classification system relates to The Medicines Act 1968. The Act has three categories of medicine POM- Prescription only medication which you can get from your pharmacist but has to be prescribed by a practitioner. PO- Pharmacy Only medicines these can be purchased without a prescription. GSL- General Sales List these medicines can be brought from any shop without a prescription.

1.3 Explain how and why policies and procedures or agreed ways of working must reflect and incorporate legislative requirements Policies and procedures are put into place to make sure that legislation is being followed and the service users and staff are safe and all needs are being met, inclusive practice and diversity is being followed and the setting is staying within the law. 2.1 Identify common types of medication

Antibiotic, Analgesic, Laxative, Antipsychotic, Anti-depressants, Diuretic 2.2 List conditions for which each type of medication may be prescribed Antibiotic- medicines used to treat and prevent infections Analgesic- used to relieve pain.

Laxative- used to treat constipation
Antipsychotics- are medicines that are used to treat mental health illnesses. Anti-depressants- used to treat depression or to prevent it from occurring. Diuretic- used to remove excess water from your body. 2.3 Describe changes to an individual’s physical or mental well-being that may indicate an adverse reaction to a medication Adverse reactions can be different in each individual and it is important to report any changes, some common adverse reactions are nausea, vomiting, swelling of the face or mouth, rashes or blotches, breathing difficulties, confusion and hallucinations or delusions. 3.1 Describe the roles and responsibilities of those involved in prescribing, dispensing and supporting use of medication the roles and responsibilities of the person prescribing medication are to prescribe in the best interests of the persons. They will need be know the patient’s medical history and the current medication they are taking, give all information to the patient so the patient can make an informed choice, know the current guidance which is published in the BNF, prescribe the current dosage and make a follow up appointment.

Roles and responsibilities of the person dispensing the medication is to check to make sure the prescription is legal and signed by a qualified person, ensure there are no errors, to dispense the right quantity and dose of medication, make sure the medication is clearly labelled with the instructions of the dose, the name of the medication and person, provide advice and treatment for any minor illnesses and health concerns. Pharmacies will also provide a repeat prescription service. Roles and responsibilities for supporting the use of medication if after the medication has been dispensed and go into the home depending where people live they may need help from care staff to administer the medication after training they staff would be able to support service users to take tablets, capsules or oral medication, apply creams and ointments, insert ear nose and eye drops, support inhaled medication this would all need to be done within the guidelines of the company’s policies and procedures.

They also need to make sure they are giving the correct medication, at the correct time and the correct dose. 3.2 Explain where responsibilities lie in relation to use of ‘over the counter’ remedies and supplements Medication that is brought over the counter would be sold buy Medicines Counter Assistant or Pharmacy Technician these are sold with the overall supervision of the Pharmacist, whoever sells these medicines has the responsibility to ask questions before they sell the medication so that they know if that medication is suitable for that person and what medical condition they need it for. Questions they may ask are who it is for, are they allergic to any medicines and what medication they are taking. 4.1 Describe the routes by which medication can be administered Orally

Intravenous injection
Intra muscular injection
Subcutaneous injection
4.2 Describe different forms in which medication may be presented Tablets/capsules
Creams, ointments
Pessaries/ suppositories
Drops and sprays
4.3 Describe materials and equipment that can assist in administering medication. Materials and equipment that can be used are Medicine trolley, Medication Administration Records, medicine pots, measuring spoons, syringes, drinking glasses, jug water, disposal bag. 6.1 Explain the importance of the following principles in the use of medication Consent

The individual must give consent before being given any medication and have the right to refuse. The person should be given all the information so they can make an informed decision. Self-medication or active participation

Everyone should be given the right to self-medicate unless there is a reason not to. The person should be given as much support as needed this helps to maintain independence, the main principle of active participation is that people should do as much for themselves as possible. Dignity and privacy

Maintaining dignity is making sure the individual has a choice and has control. Some service users may not want to take medicines in communal areas and staff should respect their privacy creams and ointments should be done in a private room. Confidentiality

People’s medical records and information should be stored like any of their other records in a secure locked room so that other people can’t see them. Discussions should not be done in communal areas but in privacy. You should not discuss any treatment with family or friends unless you have been given consent which should be recorded in care plan. 6.2 Explain how risk assessment can be used to promote an individual’s independence in managing medication Risk assessments will help you to identify ways in which to reduce a risk. In a care setting you have to risk access an individual if the wish to self-medicate.

Risk assessments do not stop people from doing things but uses the least restrictive option to maintain their independence. 6.3 Describe how ethical issues that may arise over the use of medication can be addressed Ethical issues can arise if a person has been diagnosed as terminally ill and does not wish to have treatment even though without it they would die. If this situation occurred you could only give them all the information they will need for them to be able to make an informed decision. The decision is theirs to make and we should not try to get them to change their mind because we would do it differently.

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