Managing medication
Whilst the person you care for is still able to swallow, tablets or liquid medicine will continue to be prescribed by their GP. If the person wishes you to help administer their medication then make sure you are giving the medicines at the right time of day. If you are giving them at the wrong time, then they could not work properly or there could be side effects. Check if the medicines should be taken with food or in between meals.
If you know the person is going to have to pay for a lot of NHS prescriptions, it may be cheaper to buy a prescription ‘season ticket’ referred to as a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC). A PPC will cover all NHS prescriptions, including NHS dental prescriptions, no matter how many items the person needs. This doesn’t include other health costs, such as the provision of wigs and fabric supports. There are two PCC options to choose from:
- A 3 month PPC costs £29.10 and will save money if the person needs more than 3 prescribed items in 3 months
- A 12 month PPC costs £104 and will save the person money if they need more than 11 prescribed items per year
If the person you care for has a complicated medication regime with different pills taken at different times of the day, consider using a dosette box. These are plastic boxes with small compartments that clearly show which pills need to be taken at what time of day. Dosette boxes are not always available for free on the NHS and they’re not suitable for every type of medicine. Ask your pharmacist for more information about dosette boxes if you think they could be helpful to you or the person. To find out more about how to give pills correctly, keep them organised, compliance aids, and get some medicine safety tips.
To find out more about how your local pharmacy team can help, including a large print and easy read guide.
When the person is reaching the end of their life, doctors and nurses will advise on how best to minimise disturbance and distress and if some or many of the medications should be stopped as they will no longer be of benefit or are difficult to take. If the person becomes unable to manage tablets or liquid medication then there are other ways medicines can be given, for example, a small injection or perhaps a syringe driver. The latter is a small electronic pump that holds a syringe containing the medications required to keep symptoms under control. Attached to the syringe is a long piece of plastic tubing with a small needle at the end, which is inserted under the person’s skin and secured by a dressing. The medication is then delivered very slowly into the arm or other suitable part of the body. A nurse will check the driver every day and will ensure there is a new supply of medications in the syringe. Have a look at the NHS Administering injectable medication (PDF) for further information.