Self-administration policy template
Self administration enables more people with Parkinson's to get their medications correctly and on time during hospital admissions. This template applies to all medical conditions including Parkinson's.
- Tools
- Consultant
- Doctor (geriatrician)
- Doctor (neurologist)
- Doctor (other)
- Nurse (Neurology specialist)
- Nurse (Parkinson's nurse)
- Pharmacist
The policy is a practical guide for staff to support patients to move towards self-administration of medicines by establishing a standardised approach for determining the ability of patients to take their own medication safely and reliably.
Why use this template policy?
Patients with Parkinson's are at risk of significant harm if they don't get their medication on time, every time.
Many people with Parkinson's can and do take their own medication daily. A Parkinson's UK survey of people with Parkinson's found that 48% of people with the condition who are admitted to hospital want to manage and take their own medication.
But a Parkinson's UK report found that one in four NHS trusts does not have policies that allow people with Parkinson's to take their own medication in hospitals.
We believe that people with Parkinson's who want to manage their medication in hospital should be allowed to, provided they're well enough and have been assessed as safe to do so and this is supported by the NICE quality standard for Parkinson's.
On a busy ward, self administration can play a role in freeing up nurses to do other important tasks.
How was the template policy developed?
The template policy is based on the procedure produced by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and is used with their permission. It was reviewed and amended by health professionals from the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Pharmacy, supported by the Parkinson's UK Excellence Network.
The Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Pharmacy have endorsed this template policy.
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