This course will explore the key legislation, national guidance (including NICE medicines optimisation and managing medicines in social care), and regulator expectations that underpin safe, person-centred medication management in adult social care. It will focus on the components of a robust medicines management system, how to develop and review effective policies and procedures, how to assess and evidence staff competence, and how to use errors, audits and learning to drive continuous improvement.
Medication management is a high-risk area in social care and continues to feature prominently in CQC inspection findings and enforcement action where systems are weak or staff practice is unsafe. Providers are expected to demonstrate that medicines are managed in line with current legislation, such as the Medicines Act 1968 and Misuse of Drugs legislation, and that they follow national guidance including NICE guidelines on medicines optimisation, managing medicines in care homes and in community-based social care.
Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 requires providers to ensure medicines are supplied in sufficient quantities, managed safely and administered appropriately, and this is scrutinised under the CQC Single Assessment Framework's quality statements on medicines optimisation and safe care.
This masterclass is designed to give leaders, managers, Medication Leads and senior staff the knowledge, tools and confidence to build and sustain a robust medicines management system that is tailored to the needs of their service. It will cover how to design and review a comprehensive medicines policy, choose and implement the right medication system (for example original packs, blister packs or eMAR), define the role of a Medication Lead, and specify the content of effective staff training and competency assessments.
Delegates will explore what 'good' looks like in practice, including attributes of an effective competence assessor, how to assess both knowledge and practical skills, what to do when staff are not competent, and how to investigate medication errors, near misses and incidents in a way that promotes learning rather than blame.
The day will also examine common areas of non-compliance identified in social care services and how to use audits, feedback, and incident analysis to identify themes, implement corrective actions and evidence continuous improvement.
This masterclass will enable you to:
Understand the legal and regulatory framework for medicines management in social care, including the Medicines Act 1968, Misuse of Drugs Act and Regulations, and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 requirements relating to safe care and treatment.
Describe the key NICE guidance and other best practice recommendations on medicines optimisation and managing medicines in care homes and in community-based social care.
Identify the core components of a robust medication management system in social care, including policies, procedures, training, record-keeping, audits and governance.
Develop or review a comprehensive medicines policy and associated procedures that reflect current legislation, NICE guidance and CQC expectations.
Explain what should be included in effective staff training on medicines (theory and practical) and how to align training content with role, responsibilities and regulator expectations.
Understand why it is important to choose the right medication system (for example original packs, monitored dosage systems, eMAR) for your service and the people you support, and the advantages and limitations of different approaches.
Describe the role and responsibilities of the Medication Lead and the attributes of an effective medicines competence assessor in a social care service.
Apply a structured approach to assessing competence, including assessing knowledge and practical skills, providing feedback, and creating development plans where competence has not yet been achieved.
Recognise common areas of non-compliance in medicines management in social care services and identify practical strategies to address these through training, supervision and system improvement.
Respond appropriately to medication errors, incidents and near misses, including immediate safety actions, notification, investigation, root cause analysis and implementing learning to prevent recurrence.
Use audits, feedback, complaints and compliments about medicines to identify themes, demonstrate lessons learned and drive continuous improvement in medicines management.
NOTE: Whilst this masterclass has been designed for CQC registered social care services and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 framework, much of the content is equally valid for Ofsted registered children's homes and CIW registered social care services in Wales. People from such services who choose to join the masterclass will have to accept that the legislation and regulatory framework referred to will be that for CQC registered services.