Is medicines management a health need or a social care need?
Answer The management of medicines is everyone’s business, as described in Management of medicines – a resource to support implementation of the wider aspects of medicines management for the National Service Frameworks for Diabetes Renal Services and Long-Term Conditions. The lead responsibility for the safe and effective use of medicines rests with the clinician who prescribes, but there are key roles for other NHS professionals such as pharmacists and for staff providing personal care to service-users in their own homes or in residential care. It is important, however, that no assumption is made that non-clinical staff have the necessary training and skills to undertake or supervise clinical tasks.
