Bring your medicines from home

Bringing medicines from home helps our doctors, nurses and pharmacists quickly understand what medicines you are currently taking. This helps ensure treatment can continue safely and may help avoid delays in care. Bringing medicines from home also helps to reduce waste, supporting a sustainable NHS.

Our staff will:

• Receive the medicines from the you, or alternatively a friend, relative or carer.
• Record that medicines have been brought in.
• Check whether urgent or high-risk medicines are present.
• Place the medicines in a designated secure storage area.
• Inform a nurse, prescriber or pharmacy team as appropriate.
• Create the most accurate list possible of your current medicines and compare it against your new / ordered medicines.
• Arrange a suitability assessment before any medicine is used.
• Document medicines that are retained, returned, transferred or disposed of.

Please be aware, medicines should not be left unattended in admission areas, on lockers or in your bag unless this is permitted under an approved self-administration arrangement.

Please don't worry. You can still let a member of staff know what medicines you take. If possible, please also ask a relative, friend or carer to bring them in later. If this isn't possible, our teams will work with you to ensure you receive the medicines you need.

We understand some hospital admissions will be emergencies. If you are admitted unexpectedly, a relative, friend or carer can bring your medicines in when convenient. If they cannot be brought in, please tell staff what medicines you take and where possible provide a list or repeat prescription slip.

Yes. If you forget your medicines or are admitted unexpectedly, a relative, friend or carer can bring them in later.

Please ask the person who helps manage your medicines to bring them in or provide details of what medicines you take.

You will still receive the care you need. However, bringing medicines can help us understand treatment more quickly, reduce delays and support safer care throughout a hospital stay. Please consider all possible ways medication can be brought in - including asking a relative, friend or carer to help.

Yes, where possible.

Even if you are not staying overnight, it is helpful for staff to understand what medicines you currently take.

That's okay. If you can, please bring the medicine containers themselves. Staff can identify them from the packaging and labels. Staff can also access electronic patient records to confirm medication details.

Yes.

Medicines brought into hospital are assessed by trained staff and managed safely throughout a hospital stay.

You should not take medicines independently unless this has been agreed with the clinical team and managed through our self-administration process. Taking an unrecorded dose could result in harm. Any medicines taken before or after arrival should be communicated to the responsible clinical team.

Please bring the blister pack or compliance box with you. These help staff understand your usual medication routine and ensure treatment continues correctly.

Please bring them with you, unless you have been specifically advised not to.

Staff will review them and advise on the best way to manage them during a hospital stay.

Yes. Patients should bring all medicines they are currently using, including controlled drugs. On arrival, these will be handled, documented and stored in accordance with the Trust's controlled drugs and patients’ own medicines procedures. Controlled drugs should not be left unsecured at the bedside.

Yes. Even if you only take a small number of medicines, bringing them with you can help ensure your records are accurate and that any treatment provided in hospital is safe and appropriate.

Our pharmacy will assess medicines brought into hospital to ensure they are suitable for use, correctly labelled, in date and safe to continue during your stay.

The hospital can provide medicines if needed.

However, bringing medicines from home helps to avoid unnecessary duplication, reduces delays, gives staff an accurate picture of the medicines a patient normally takes, and supports a sustainable NHS.

Any medicines brought into hospital that remain suitable for use will normally be returned to you when you are discharged, alongside any new medicines you need.

If you have several medicines, a recent prescription list, or concerns about your treatment, it can be helpful to bring them or a current medication list with you.

Please do not throw them in household waste or flush them down the toilet.

Unused medicines can be returned to your local pharmacy for safe disposal.