Medicines Management Policy - Dudley Primary Care Trust

17. General Notes on the Handling of Medicines
17.1 The contents of one container must never be transferred to another container
without pharmaceutical advice as the stability and product liability of the product
may be affected. Part empty containers must either be disposed of or the drug
should continue to be used until the container is empty.
No drug should be removed from its container/packaging except for immediate
administration or for counting purposes, when only one container may be
removed at a time.
17.2 With the exception of pharmacists, under no circumstances may members of
staff alter labels. Clarification of the prescriber’s intentions is permissible
providing this does not obscure or change the original instructions.
17.3 Due attention should be paid to additional information e.g. hazard-warning
labels on drug containers.
17.4 If drug labels are unclear or dirty, the container must be returned to the
supplying Pharmacy.
17.5 Under no circumstances should samples of medicines, dressings, topical
products, nutritional products or medical devices be accepted from members of
the Pharmaceutical Industry for use on patients/clients.
17.6 Under no circumstances should medication returned from patients’ own homes
be used on another patient, it must be disposed of as waste.
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