Current Legislation relevant to the administration of medication falls into three categories which are listed below.
The legal management of medication is covered by the acts listed below and various amendments made to them, such as:
• The Medicines Act 1968 – (amended in 1998)
• The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
• The Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 2001
• Data Protection Act 1998
• Health and Social Care Act (CQC) (Regulated Activities) and the Essential Standards 2001 – (amended in 2008 and 2012)
• The Nursing Midwifery Guidelines for the management of medicine administration
Some legislation has a direct impact on the handling of medication in social care settings. These are:
• The access to health records act 1990
• Mental
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However, I am aware of the legal difference between types of drugs and the legal framework that allows me to handle medicines and administer them to the service user on their behalf. The list mentioned above is not exhaustive but they are examples of legislation relating to the administration of medication. Organisations and all staff should be enabled to access documentation regarding to the administration of medication within a social care setting.
The National Minimum Standards require the companies/organisations/registered person to put in place policies and procedures/protocol for the receipt, recording, storage, administration and disposal of medicines.
The company I work for as a care worker has these policies and procedures/protocol in place, so when I administer medicines to a service user I adhere to them, as the policies and procedures/protocol are there to protect not only the service users’ but also all the staff and me as the care worker, as I am responsible for the administration of medication to the service user since I work alone as a live-in care worker.
A Non-Registered Practitioner (NRP): remains responsible for their own