DoH: “Half of care home patients suffer drug errors”
Channel 4 News reports that at DoH study has found frequent mistakes in the handling of medication at care homes, with as many as half of all residents affected. The study ran for over two years and involved direct observation of medication administration within 55 care homes.
The report found errors in several key areas
* administration errors made by care home staff
* dispensing errors including inadequate and incomplete labelling of drugs by pharmacies supplying care homes
* mistakes made by GPs in prescribing drugs and monitoring the effect of medicines on care home residents
Channel 4 reports that the DoH has confirmed the existence of the report and will be working with CQC to implement the findings. As yet however nothing has been published – when it becomes available we will post this to www.carehomenews.org.uk
