1. Pharmacy at a Glance: Supply of Medicines
Aim: for all our patients to receive the RIGHT medicines at the RIGHT time
If you need a medicine for your patient - have you CHECKED…
Does the patient have their own supply of medicines (PODs) with them?
Are they in the POD locker or with the patient? Check with patient/relative/carer
Is the medicine on the ward stock list?
Check the medicine cupboard door for details of what is on stock list
Has the medicine already been ordered by the ward pharmacist?
Have all pharmacy bags been unpacked and put away? Is it a fridge item?
If NO, to all these questions:
Between 9am and 5pm:
URGENT – contact your pharmacist (bleep 4286)
Non-urgent – write request in pharmacy diary
Out of hours (5pm to 9am):
URGENT – contact the on call pharmacist
From 8-9am: requests can be sent to dispensary
Non-urgent – write request in pharmacy diary
Don’t know whether the medicine is URGENT?
CHECK with the pharmacist or doctor
and/or refer to TIME CRITICAL MEDICINES guidance
Borrowing from other wards is not always safe
Check with pharmacist first, and if agreed, record any items borrowed
Written by: Judith Bailey Approved by: Diane Evans, ???Ward sister March 2014

2. Pharmacy at a Glance: Use of Patient’s Own Medicines
Aim: Use patients own medicines to reduce missed doses and wastage
Has the patient brought their own medicines from home?
Yes No
Is a relative/carer able to bring patient’s PODs from home?
Has the pharmacist checked the PODs? (“POD” written in pharmacy box)
Yes No
Yes No
Use the PODs to give the dose if appropriate to the prescription
Does the POD medication match the prescription and is within the expiry date?
Is this medicine available as ward stock? Check list.
Top Tips
- All medicines labelled for a specific patient should be stored in the POD locker to reduce the risk of error
- Encourage patients to bring their PODs into hospital and DO NOT advise relatives/carers to take the PODs home unless advised by pharmacist
- Do not use medicines from dosette/nomad boxes (MDS) unless advised by Pharmacist to do so
- Transfer PODs with patients when they move beds or ward or when they are discharged No
Yes No
Think! Is this a time critical medicine?
Order medicine from pharmacy
(See Pharmacy at a Glance: ‘Supply of Medicines’)
Why are PODs useful?
This helps to ensure all medicines taken at home are prescribed correctly
To prevent missed doses
Written by: Judith Bailey Approved by: Diane Evans, ???Ward sister March 2014