The AHSN Network: Medicine safety in care homes national report (20 March 2020)

Summary

Medication errors are a common issue within the care home sector, impacting on the health and wellbeing of residents as well as creating challenges for care home staff and managers.

This report addresses the issue of medication safety in care homes in England. Through intense engagement with a representative sample of care homes and stakeholders involving an electronic survey, workshops and conversations, Patient Safety Collaboratives have sought to understand the reasons for medication errors and how these could be avoided in the future.

Content

Key findings: Factors that contribute to medication errors

• Problems with three-way communication between care home, prescriber and dispensing pharmacy
• Training of care home staff
• Leadership and the need to create a safety culture
• Problematic care processes, including record keeping and ordering medication