The HSE has encouraged everyone who takes regular medicines to keep an up-to-date list of their current medication by using the HSE’s ‘My Medicines List’. It has also urged pharmacists to share the list with their patients.
Now available in 52 different languages, My Medicines List is a list of all the medicines and supplements a patient takes. As well as helping patients to become familiar with the medications they take, the HSE said it hopes it will also help healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, to have informed discussions with patients about their medications.
Ciara Kirke, Clinical Lead of the HSE’s National Medication Safety Programme, said: “Having a list of your medicines is so useful. You can use it to keep track of your medicines. You can use it to communicate information about your medication clearly with healthcare professionals at appointments, or if you’re admitted to hospital. If you haven’t used this list before, you can now watch a video showing you how to use a medicines list. Our team has worked with translators and people in our community to translate the My Medicines List in 52 languages.
“This means that everybody should be able to keep a list that they understand, and use it when they need healthcare,” she continued. “We hope these resources will be really useful to patients and all those involved in their healthcare, including your pharmacist and GP. We encourage healthcare professionals, agencies and groups to share the list within their communities.”
In terms of what to include, the HSE recommends:
· All prescribed and over-the-counter medicines and supplements.
· Inhalers, patches, injections, creams, eye drops and any other prescribed products.
· Over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and other supplements, herbal, homeopathic or alternative medicines.
· Dosage, the amount of medication and the time taken, along with any allergies.
It is recommended to keep the list up-to-date regularly, as medications or dosages may change.
Dr Orla Healy, National Clinical Director in the HSE’s Quality and Patient Safety Directorate, said:“Medication safety is a key priority for the HSE, as outlined in the Patient Safety Strategy 2019-2024. Ten per cent of emergency admissions of older adults are related to medication harm. Seventy-one per cent were potentially preventable. At some point in our lives, we all take medications. For those of us who take multiple medications daily, it can become confusing to keep track. Keeping a medicines list is a simple tool, but it has been shown to help reduce medication-related harm.”
Bernie O’Reilly of Patients for Patient Safety Ireland advocacy group, said:“As Chair of Patients for Patient Safety Ireland, I recognise the importance of encouraging everyone on medication to keep their own medicines list. Healthcare systems are not seamless and the information we share as individuals contributes to our own safety. The HSE My Medicines List provides an excellent template, now available in 52 languages. Medication is the most applied intervention in patient care, and an up-to-date medicines list captures vital information for sharing at every healthcare interaction. When the question is, ‘what medication are you taking?’, the answer is ‘I have it listed here on my medicines list’.”
My Medicines List has been translated from English into 51 languages. The lists and video are available on the HSE National Medication Safety Programme website www.hse.ie/safermeds. To order copies of blank medicines lists in English, go to www.healthpromotion.ie and search for ‘medicines’.
My Medicines is part of the HSE’s ongoing Know Check Ask Medication Safety Campaign. This campaign is the public awareness part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Patient Safety Challenge called Medication Without Harm.
