On medication? Here's how to STAY SAFE

With one in 10 drugs being inappropriately prescribed, here’s how to make sure that you’re getting the best care

We trust our doctors with our health and expect them to give us drugs that will benefit us. And most of the time, they do. But mistakes can happen. And that includes mistakes that we might make in taking our prescribed pills correctly.

There are 237 million medication errors made every year in the UK. ‘These errors cost the NHS nearly £100 million every year and they’re also responsible for around 1,700 deaths,’ says Dr Deborah Lee, a GP for the Dr Fox Online Pharmacy.

‘Tragically, around a third of these errors occur in general practice.’

There are certain safety nets in place – doctors are expected to follow what is known as ‘the five rights of medicines management’. Dr Lee explains, ‘These five rights – giving the right medicine to the right patient, at the right dose, via the right route, and at the right time – should ensure that mistakes don’t happen.

‘The responsibility for issuing any medication lies with the doctor or nurse issuing the prescription, and with the pharmacist who dispenses it. But you also need to take responsibility for your own health – and there are steps you can take to limit the risk of medication errors.’

Take your medication exactly as prescribed

Make sure you’re fully informed about your medication, says Dr Lee. ‘Start by reading the patient information leaflet in the box.