Quality standard

Quality statement 3: Recording medicine support needs

Quality statement 3: Recording medicine support needs

Quality statement

Adults receiving medicines support in the community from a social care provider have a record of the medicines support that they need in their care plan.

Rationale

Medicines use can be complex, particularly when people have several long-term conditions and are taking multiple medicines. It is important that people taking and administering medicines have an accurate record of the medicines support needed. This includes information about what support is needed, how it should be provided and who can provide the support. This can help to make sure that medicines are taken safely and effectively and enables people to manage their medicines.

Quality measures

Structure

Evidence of local processes for social care providers to ensure that care plans include a record of the medicines support a person needs.

Data source: Local data collection, for example an audit of local processes.

Process

Proportion of adults receiving medicines support in the community from a social care provider whose care plan includes a record of the medicines support they need.

Numerator – the number in the denominator that include a record of the medicines support they need.

Denominator – the number of care plans for adults receiving medicines support in the community from a social care provider.

Data source: Local data collection, for example an audit of care plans for adults receiving medicines support in the community from a social care provider.

Outcome

a) Satisfaction of people providing medicines support with information recorded about the medicine support needed.

Data source: Local data collection, for example staff surveys.

b) Satisfaction of people receiving social care in the community with their medicines support.

Data source: Local data collection, for example service user and carer satisfaction surveys.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (social care providers) have robust processes for ensuring that a person's medicines support needs are recorded in their care plan following assessment. The record of support needs should include the person's preferences and their expectations for confidentiality.

Commissioners (local authorities and clinical commissioning groups) ensure that they commission services that follow robust processes for ensuring that care plans include a record of the medicines support needed by a person.

Adults receiving social care at home that includes help with their medicines have information about the way they would like to be supported to take their medicines written into their care plan, so that they get the help they need to take them correctly.

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Medicines

All prescription and non-prescription (over-the-counter) healthcare treatments, such as oral medicines, topical medicines, inhaled products, injections, wound care products, appliances and vaccines.

[NICE's guideline on managing medicines for adults receiving social care in the community]

Record of medicines support needs

If a person needs medicines support, the following information should be included in their care plan:

  • the person's needs and preferences

  • the person's expectations for confidentiality and advance care planning

  • how consent for decisions about medicines will be sought

  • details of who to contact about their medicines (the person or a named contact)

  • what support is needed for each medicine

  • how the medicines support will be given

  • who will be responsible for providing medicines support, particularly when it is agreed that more than one care provider is involved

  • when the medicines support will be reviewed, for example, after 6 weeks.

[NICE's guideline on managing medicines for adults receiving social care in the community, recommendation 1.2.5]

Social care provider

A provider organisation, registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide community adult care services, that directly employs care workers to provide personal care and support in a person's home.

[NICE's guideline on managing medicines for adults receiving social care in the community]

Equality and diversity considerations

If a person has a learning disability, cognitive decline or fluctuating mental capacity, services providing medicines support should make reasonable adjustments to ensure that the person and their family members or carers are actively involved in discussions and decision‑making. The person's views and preferences should be recorded to help make decisions in the person's best interest if they lack capacity to make decisions now or in the future.