Sometimes people forget to take their prescribed medication or take it in the wrong way which can put their health at risk.
There is support and advice available for anyone who needs help with taking their medicines.
These include:
Your local pharmacy (or chemist) - who will be able to tell you about different types of medicine and how to take them. If you have a minor illness or injury, the pharmacy is a good place to visit as a pharmacist will be able to tell you if you need to see a doctor; or
Your GP (family doctor) - who will be able to help you if you're unwell or have any questions about medicines.
If you need help with your medicines at home
There are ways that your local pharmacy can help you to remember what medication you should be taking at home.
There are devices available that your pharmacy can suuply to place your medicine into such as boxes marked with the correct times at which you should take your medication.
Another way to help you remember to take your medication is to keep a diary or a planner and tick off each dose as you take it.
If you are unable to leave your home
District nurses can visit you at home to help you with your medication.
They can also help you with dressing wounds, catheter care and with looking after chronic conditions. Your GP will be able to refer you to the district nursing team if you need this sort of help.
If you are receiving daily home care visits, then your care workers will ensure you are taking the right medication at the right time. They will also keep a written record of it and may be able to help by collecting repeat prescriptions from your doctor or pharmacy.
Repeat prescriptions
Sometimes, patients or carers with repeat prescriptions continue to get more medicines than they really need.
You can prevent this, if you:
let your GP or pharmacist know if you've stopped taking any of your medicines
check what medicines you still have at home before re-ordering;
discuss your medicines with your pharmacist or GP on a regular basis
think carefully before ticking all the boxes on your repeat prescription forms and only tick those you really need; and
take all your prescription medicines with you to any hospital visits.
What to do with unused medicines
Unused or out of date medicine should be returned to a pharmacy where they can make sure it is safely disposed.
Contact your local pharmacist for further information on how you can help to reduce unused or wasted medicines. You can find your local pharmacy by visiting the NHS website link, see right of this page under external links.