Hundreds of millions of medications are prescribed every year in the UK, and a significant minority of those are prescribed incorrectly. Medication errors can cause significant and avoidable harm, both directly and indirectly. As such, every effort should be made to prevent them.
Errors can occur at any stage of the process. A doctor might prescribe the wrong medication, or fail to prescribe any medication at all. Problems at the pharmacy might also cause medication to be misallocated, or mislabelled. There’s also a possibility that errors might creep in as information about a prescription is passed around within a medical facility.
The more complex the needs of the patient, the likelier it is that errors will occur.
Safe Prescribing & Digital Tools
One powerful modern means of cutting down error rates is to dispense with handwritten prescriptions in favour of digital ones. The NHS’s Electronic Prescription Service promises to not only make life more convenient and reduce costs; it also reduces the possibility of a miscommunication. Patients can take advantage of electronic prescriptions through the NHS app – but even if they don’t, digitisation is increasingly built into the system.
Proper Storage, Administration & Carer Role
When medication is not going to be used immediately, it should be stored appropriately. This might sometimes mean storing it in a fridge. Reminders and dosette boxes can make it easier for patients to monitor their consumption, and avoid accidental overdose. This is something that carers should be mindful of, too, in the case of older or vulnerable patients. When clear instructions are not provided or obeyed, those patients might be put at risk.
What to Do If Things Go Wrong
Medical negligence claims are made every day in the UK, against the NHS and private medical providers. In order for medical negligence to be established, a claimant will need to demonstrate to the satisfaction of a court that they have suffered a harm, and that the harm was caused by a failure that would not have been committed by a competent person or organisation.
In the UK, all patients are owed a duty of care, by medical professionals who prescribe medication, as well as those who dispense it. In cases where a systemic failure has resulted in a patient suffering harm, an entire organisation might be held to account.
The good news is that solicitors specialising in this area of law often proceed on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means that claimants can proceed with minimal financial risk. The stress and hassle are minimal, too, since claimants are rarely required to attend a courtroom in person, and the overwhelming majority of cases are settled out of court.
