Ordering medication

Home Support Providers must not routinely order medication on behalf of a Kirklees service user. These tasks will not be included as part of a service users schedule (SUS). Therefore, the provider will not be paid for carrying out these tasks unless under special circumstances agreed by an Authorised Officer of the Council.

It is important that providers ensure responsibility for ordering medicines remains with the person and/or their family members, informal carers or the pharmacist/GP practice. Providers are strongly advised to make a record of who is identified for ordering and collecting/delivering the service user medication.

Information relating to home support providers who order medication, in special circumstances where this has been agreed as part of a SUS

According to the NICE guidance 2017 and The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 , once a provider orders a service user's medicines they should:

• ensure the correct amounts of the medicines are available when required
• have enough time allocated for checking which medicines are needed
• check that the correct medicines have been supplied
• record when medicines have been ordered, including the name, strength and quantity of the medicine
• record when medicines have been supplied
• check for any discrepancies between the medicines ordered and those supplied
• ensure that staff know what action to take if a discrepancy is noted between the medicines ordered and those supplied
• ensure staff are trained and assessed as competent to do the above

The above actions are appropriate to care homes and hospitals but could be challenging for providers supporting people in their own homes.