World Patient Safety Day is held on 17 September every year. This year’s theme is ‘Medication Without Harm’.
Registered nurse with patient
Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) is committed to not only ensuring that their process and procedures involving the prescription of medicines are safer and free from causing harm to patients. This includes people within their communities and that they feel educated and empowered to actively check that their existing medications are up to date and appropriate.
“We have adopted the 'KNOW. CHECK. ASK.' global patient safety initiative, which empowers you as a patient to talk to your GP or health professional about your medication and to take an active role in understanding what it is for, how you should be taking it, understanding side effects and ensuring you still require the medication,” said Melanie Lacey, Chief Pharmacist at Young Hospital.
“I think as patients, we sometimes forget that having one’s medication reviewed is an important step in our health care. What someone is prescribed a few months ago, a few years ago, may not be what the person needs now.
We support and encourage the people within our communities to feel empowered about asking questions and raising concerns about their medication,” said Melanie.
“It can be as easy as taking your medication list along to your pharmacist, your doctor appointment or even to the hospital if you are being admitted. It is important to include everything you are taking. It is surprising how often people are taking medications that doctors are not aware of, including supplements and vitamins,” said Melanie.
“Medication reviews should be as normal as having your blood pressure taken or booking your yearly health check-up,” said Melanie.
Melanie shares some handy tips to help make sure you understand the medication you are taking is appropriate and up to date:
When prescribed a medication, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist that you have all the information you need to take it safely. Know your medication, check you are taking the right dose at the right time and ask questions if you do not understand!
Keep an up-to-date list of all the medications you take, including traditional or natural medicines and supplements, and share it with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Some supplements and vitamins are not safe to take with certain medications.
If you are being admitted into hospital, bring your medications and medication list with you.
Coming into hospital often involves changes to your medicines. A hospital pharmacist or doctor will visit and go through your medicines with you and record the information from the medication review and send to your local doctor.
Take your medications as recommended and be aware of the potential side-effects of your medications.
Store your medications as indicated and check the expiration date regularly.
Feel free to raise any concerns about your medication with your doctor, nurse or a pharmacist.
Return unwanted or expired medications to your local pharmacy for disposal.
Remember: KNOW. CHECK. ASK. is about knowing what you are taking, checking if you are taking medication correctly and asking questions to clarify any concerns you have.
Communities across the Murrumbidgee region are urged to take precautions against mosquito bites and to get vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis following recent detections of Ross River virus and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) staff, executive and board congratulate Chief Executive Jill Ludford on being awarded the Public Service Medal in the Australia Day Honours List.
Communities in Albury, Griffith, and surrounding areas are encouraged to take precautions against mosquito bites as NSW Health’s routine mosquito surveillance has detected Ross River virus in those regions.