Medicine storage in residential care facilities

In a residential care home, specialist healthcare furniture must be used to store medicines in a safe and secure way that ensures they are effective when administered. Every medicine type has specific storage requirements, which are dictated by the manufacturer. Different care facilities do things differently: some choose to allow the storage of medicines in the patients’ rooms, while some store medicines in one central location.

Points to consider in residential healthcare

When managing a care home, there will be a variety of residents taking different medicines that have different storage requirements. You must provide storage options that meet those needs and factor in their choices, as staff will perform detailed risk assessments for every situation. One of the key factors will be the medicine systems residents want to use.

The following information should be included in your processes and policies to ensure safe and secure medicine storage is provided:

How and where

There are many variations on how and where medicines will be stored, including:

• Controlled drugs, accounting for the Misuse of Drugs Act regulations
• Medicines in monitored dosage systems
• Medicines which require refrigeration
• Oral nutritional supplements
• Devices and appliances, including sharps

Secure storage

Medicines must be stored securely. Access should be restricted to authorised care home staff only. Processes and policies must include how you achieve this.

Self-administered medicines

Some people will administer their own medicines. These meds should be stored as instructed by that person’s risk assessment, such as in a lockable cabinet in their room. People must be able to access the required medicines only when they need to take them – no unauthorised people should have access to them.

Temperatures and conditions

You need to be aware of the differing safe temperatures for the storage of different medicines, including how staff will be able to monitor storage conditions. This will help ensure medicines are effective when used.

Emergency medicines

Special provisions need to be made for the safe storage of emergency medicines. Make sure care home staff can access these meds quickly when required.

Medicine storage – where to find out more

We specialise in secure storage healthcare furniture and can design and manufacture bespoke storage options for the differing needs of healthcare facilities. To learn more about what we can do for you, please get in touch today and we’ll walk you through our services and products.

Or you can read about our healthcare storage trays and storage units on our website.

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