How Do I Lessen The Risk Of A Prescription Or Medication Error?

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Unfortunately, prescription and medication errors do happen. As much as anyone tries to do their job to the best of their ability, a pharmacist, GP or medical care worker is still a human being capable of making a mistake.

On collecting your prescription, the ultimate responsibility lies on the pharmacist to ensure that the medication you receive matches what is required.

Having said this, there are ways to significantly reduce the risk of receiving the wrong medication, and we will share this with you in this simple, common-sense guide.

Have I requested the correct medication?

… and is that medication correct on my (white) repeat prescription form? Always make a note of what you have requested from your surgery, including the drug name, formulation (tablets, capsules, liquid etc.), strength, quantity and dose.

If the repeat prescription is wrong, you can speak to your surgery’s reception staff who will be able to query it with your GP.

You would be amazed how many people aren’t 100% sure what medications they actually take, and it is in your best interest to have a basic knowledge of what medications are and why you take them. If you are unsure as to why you take a particular treatment, you can request a medication review with your GP or ask your pharmacist who may be able to advise you.

I’ve received my prescription – is it correct?

A valid prescription should:

Have the correct medication name, dosage, strength, formulation and quantity printed upon it, alongside instructions on how and when to take them
State the correct patient name, address, postcode and date of birth
Be stamped with the surgery’s name and address
Be signed in ink or pen by the doctor named on the form
Have the date of issue printed or written upon it. Prescriptions do expire, so be aware of this also

If anything on the prescription is wrong or appears to be wrong, head back to your surgery and query it with them directly.

How do I lessen the risk of a prescription or medication error?

I’ve received my medication from my pharmacist – is it correct?

In order to receive your medication, a pharmacist must have checked your prescription before doing so. Often this is done before you return to collect it, but sometimes it can be done in front of you.

When you collect your medication, your personal details are also confirmed to ensure that the prescription is going to the right patient.

There should be two signatures on your box of medication, indicating that another member of staff else has checked the prescription besides the pharmacist.

Once you’ve received your prescription, you should check yourself that it is the right medication before taking anything. Here is a handy little checklist of points to confirm:

Does the item you’ve received match what you ordered?
Does the box have the correct medication name/strength/formulation printed on it?
Is the medication inside the box matching the name of the medication stated on the outside of the box, and is the right quantity included?
Does the pharmacy label stuck to the box have the correct personal information on it, and does the label match both the medication and the printed box itself?
Is the medication in date? There are dates both on the medication boxes as well as on the blister packs or bottles inside.

If anything is wrong at all, take it straight back to the pharmacy it came from and proceed from there.

Something is wrong. What do I do?

If you notice that something isn’t right on collecting the medication prior to administering the same, speak to your pharmacist and he or she will double check the item and amend the error. The pharmacist will consult the prescription itself and the dispensing records on the computer also.

Dispensing errors are recorded and submitted by each pharmacy, and error reports are compiled by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society on a quarterly basis, so be assured that all errors (in this case a “near miss” – as no harm became of anyone and no medication was incorrectly consumed) are taken very seriously.

More serious matters…

Now that we’ve covered errors detected and corrected, we’d just like to finish off by adding what needs to be done if a medication or dispensing mistake is spotted further down the line – i.e. after consumption.

My hospital or dentist discharged me with an incorrect prescription, what should I do?

Hospital and dentist prescriptions need amending by the practice that issued them, so you will need to return to where you received it to query it.

Often hospitals and dentists issue medications that aren’t routine, so if you have queries about the medication itself it is always best to speak to the specialist or consultant who issued it. If you have a minor/routine or non-error enquiry about a medication issued, a pharmacist can often help you should you need it.

I’ve taken medication and have just realised it is incorrect. What do I do?

Seek medical advice immediately. Chances are it is something that isn’t too serious, but with some medications such as blood thinners and insulin, the potential effects can be very serious. The same goes with a child or relative under your care – immediately seek medical advice.

How do I report an error, either minor or serious?

Assuming that your initial issues have been dealt with and you have received or sought medical intervention, make a copy of everything you have been given, including patient information leaflets, boxes, labels, bagging and blister packs and any tablets you may have popped out of the foils. Camera phone photos are a good way to do this.

Once this is done, report back to the place where the medication was issued and go from there. If you have been hospitalised as a result of incorrect medication, it’s likely that your GP or even the pharmacy will already be aware of the matter before you return to them.

In summary

Mistakes happen – it’s part of life. Thankfully most are either spotted before they fall into the patient’s hands, or are less serious. Sadly though, there are cases where people have been seriously affected or even died as a result of an incorrectly issued medication.