Unused medications - Page 2

jaysay · 21-01-2011, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by grego

I work in hospital pharmacy as some of you know so here's what happens now. Medications returned to pharmacy from patients homes have to be destroyed because we cannot 100% guarantee they are fit to use, storage, tampered with etc. However we now do use patients own drugs in the hospital, all patients are asked to bring in their own supply, which we check and assess for "fit for use". It means that the patients don't miss doses, we dont have to change their brands and we can make sure that the correct medications are prescribed on their In-patient charts, we check if patients have further supplies at home and only supply on discharge if we need to which helps to cut down on waste, hope that answers some of the questions.
I agree it sometimes seems a real shame to throw things away, but can you imagine the uproar if they were used and they'd been contaminated in some way....

Thanks for that grego, I think its a better idea with regards to TTOs I used to go home with a shipping order, in fact I could probable given them some, now they come and ask if you are okay with meds at home, which is a bonus, saves waiting for ages for them to come from the pharmacy

cashman · 21-01-2011, 20:25

nice one grego, seems summats going the right way to me.

lindsay ormerod · 21-01-2011, 20:26

Agree with the above, worked at Boots for a couple of years and all returned meds are destroyed ( controlled drugs under strict supervision too) , I queried it when I started there but it's just that you can't guarantee how they have been stored and if they have been tampered with. Can't be too careful in that line of business.

Margaret Pilkington · 21-01-2011, 20:29

Lindsay, I can see the sense in that, but from the hospital viewpoint, patients are hardly likely to have tampered with their own meds.
I used to bang on about using patients own meds at every opportunity.....there was always someone who threw up objections. I am really glad to see that it is now happening...even though I am no longer there to see it.
I'm not sorry about that.

grego · 21-01-2011, 20:30

It was about time things changed Margaret we had been trying to implement the new system for years but you know what the NHS is like.
Only half a day Wallop! Thats quick, unfortunately patients are always told its in pharmacy but its usually not even written at that stage, for that reason everything that arrives and leaves pharmacy is now logged so we can produce the real turn around times if we need to...

lindsay ormerod · 21-01-2011, 20:34

Margaret , I was purely referring to meds returned to pharmacies. I wouldn't know about hospital practice, but obviously you would expect patients to look after their own meds. Glad I'm out of it to be honest, I didn't like being responsible for any mistakes my pharmacist ( on 4 times my wage) might make!

Margaret Pilkington · 21-01-2011, 20:36

Yes, I realise that Lindsay.
I'm glad to be out of it too.

yerself · 21-01-2011, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

but today virtually all meds come in sealed containers so why can these medications not be recycled and re issued,

Depending which medication you're on you could recycle/reissue them yourself and make a few quid at the same time. I'm sure if you stood outside Maundy Grange you'ld get a few takers, so to speak.

lindsay ormerod · 21-01-2011, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by yerself

Depending which medication you're on you could recycle/reissue them yourself and make a few quid at the same time. I'm sure if you stood outside Maundy Grange you'ld get a few takers, so to speak.

Steady now,a lovely charitable institution......

jaysay · 22-01-2011, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

Margaret , I was purely referring to meds returned to pharmacies. I wouldn't know about hospital practice, but obviously you would expect patients to look after their own meds. Glad I'm out of it to be honest, I didn't like being responsible for any mistakes my pharmacist ( on 4 times my wage) might make!

Pharmacists don't make mistakes do they

To be honest Lindsay if I am put on a new med I check to see if there are and adverse reactions with other meds I'm on, I take nothing to chances with my own health

jaysay · 22-01-2011, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by yerself

Depending which medication you're on you could recycle/reissue them yourself and make a few quid at the same time. I'm sure if you stood outside Maundy Grange you'ld get a few takers, so to speak.

It takes me all my time to stand on two feet these days yerself never mind outside Maundy Grange