Domiciliary care means that a carer, nurse, or other health and social care professional visits your home on a regular basis to deliver a range of care services.
Domiciliary care enables people with varying health and social care needs – such as illness, long-term medical issues, and old age – to remain in their own homes for longer. The care is delivered under varying capacities, with the intensity and frequency of visits depending on the individual circumstances.
Domiciliary care may involve ensuring a patient is taking any medications they have been prescribed and ensuring these are handled safely and administered to the individual correctly.
MAR charts
Medicine administration record charts are either electronic or printed documents that record a patient’s medication, including whether they have taken, refused, or skipped a dose. MARs are used in health and social care settings to ensure patients take their medication safely and in line with prescription advice.
In domiciliary care, an MAR chart may be pre-printed by the responsible dispensing pharmacist so that care staff can ensure they are handling patient medications in accordance with the instructions. The chart will include details such as the name and address of the pharmacist and GP; the name, strength, and dosage of the medication; whether the care receiver has any known allergies; and the frequency and route of administration.
Safe handling of medication
To ensure all domiciliary care organisations and their staff have a full and comprehensive understanding of how to safely handle medicines, they should always be provided with the relevant training. This will include details of the legislation and regulation surrounding medications alongside factors such as consent and capacity.
By undergoing the relevant training, domiciliary staff can ensure they always deliver safe, effective, and quality care.
For examples of training opportunities that include the safe handling of medication, visit Tidal Training or another reputable healthcare training provider.
Training is available for those looking to learn more or for professionals looking to refresh their knowledge and can be delivered face-to-face or by webinar.