CQC: Medicines reconciliation (how to check you have the right medicines) (10 May 2022)

Summary

Medicines reconciliation is the process of accurately listing a person’s medicines. This could be when they're admitted into a service or when their treatment changes.

Content

NICE Guidance NG5: Medicines optimisation: the safe and effective use of medicines to enable the best possible outcomes recommends sharing relevant information about medicines when people move from one care setting to another. Medicines reconciliation should be completed as soon as possible when people have been discharged from hospital or another care setting. Medicines errors can happen when people move between services.

You should record a current list of medicine, including:

• prescribed
• over-the-counter
• complementary medicines.

You should compare this list with the medicines the person is taking. This should include a conversation with the person to check if they take their medicines as prescribed.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has provided guidance on checking you have the right medication for your patient.