Medicines Management Policy - Dudley Primary Care Trust

1. Introduction
This policy deals with all aspects of the management and administration of
medicines for patients/clients cared for by the Primary Care Trust. All Trust staff
working within these areas are required to adhere to the procedures described
within it. The policy has been compiled by a multi-disciplinary team and is
intended to be used by all individuals, employed or contracted by the Trust, who
deal with medicines within the Trust (including all locum and agency staff). It
replaces all previous Medicines Management Policies.
1.1 Overall Responsibility
The following individuals are responsible for guidelines or training and
information on all aspects of the safe and secure handling of medicines within
the whole organisation and report directly to the Chief Executive for this
purpose.
Dudley Primary Care Trust
Dudley Provider Services
All controlled drug issues
Medical Director
Managing Director of Dudley Community
Services
Accountable Officer
1.2 Application and personal responsibility.
This Policy, which contains the standards and procedures associated with the
prescribing, administration, requisitioning and storage of medicinal products, is
mandatory for all staff employed by and/or working within Dudley Primary Care
Trust, including those working on a sessional basis. Staff seconded to other
organisations must abide by the standards of that organisation.
It is the professional responsibility of each member of staff to update himself or
herself on this Policy on at least an annual basis.
Managers are responsible for ensuring that copies of this Policy are available to
all their clinical staff and to ensure that they are fully aware of their
responsibilities, competencies and procedures. It is good practice to include an
update as part of each individual annual healthcare-staff appraisal. The Policy
is part of new healthcare staff induction and staff will have to sign that they
have read and understood the policy. A recognition that staff have updated their
knowledge of the policy will be included as part of annual appraisals.
Consultants and clinical leads are responsible for ensuring that all medical
officers in their team are fully aware of the key points in the Policy and are
trained to be competent in all aspects of prescribing of medicines, as specified
in the Policy.
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