10.2. Identify who is responsible for medication in a social care setting

This guide will help you answer 10.2. Identify who is responsible for medication in a social care setting.

Medication is a vital part of health and wellbeing for many individuals in social care. Proper handling, administration, and management are critical to ensure safety and compliance with the law. Understanding who is responsible for medication in social care is essential for providing high-quality care.

Responsibilities are shared across the organisation, management, and care staff. Each role has specific expectations and legal duties. This guide covers what those responsibilities are and how they work in practice. Always follow your own organisation’s policies and procedures.

Organisational Responsibility

The organisation providing care holds overall responsibility for ensuring that medication is handled properly. This applies to settings such as care homes, domiciliary care agencies, or supported living environments. Organisations have obligations under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 to ensure safe and effective care.

The organisational responsibilities include:

• Establishing robust medication management policies and procedures.
• Ensuring staff are adequately trained in medication handling.
• Complying with legal requirements, such as those set out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
• Providing suitable facilities for medication storage, such as locked cabinets or refrigerators for medicines needing temperature control.
• Conducting audits to check medication is being managed safely.

Employers must review policies regularly, keep up to date with legislation, and ensure a culture of safety and accountability across the team.

Management Responsibility

Managers or supervisors in a social care setting have a key role in overseeing medication-related practices. They ensure care staff are competent and supported, and they handle complex medication needs when necessary. Managers also act as the point of contact for professional advice or concerns about medication safety.

Some of the key responsibilities of managers include:

• Making sure staff understand and follow medication policies.
• Monitoring compliance with medication procedures, such as correct record-keeping and administration techniques.
• Authorising care staff to administer medications where appropriate.
• Coordinating with healthcare professionals, such as GPs or pharmacists, for advice about prescriptions or complex cases.
• Investigating and reporting medication errors or incidents using established systems.

Managers must foster an environment where staff feel confident to report concerns, ensuring transparency and learning from mistakes.

Care Staff Responsibility

Care staff are often directly responsible for handling and administering medication to individuals they support. This can include tablets, liquid medications, creams, inhalers, or injections, depending on their level of training and competency.

Their responsibilities include:

• Administering medication as prescribed by a healthcare professional.
• Documenting administration promptly and accurately on medication administration records (MARs).
• Following care plans that detail how and when medications are to be given.
• Checking medications for expiry dates and ensuring they are stored securely.
• Reporting any side effects, refusals, or concerns about medication to their line manager.

Staff must only administer medication they have been trained and authorised to give. For example, care staff who haven’t had specific training in administering controlled drugs or injections shouldn’t handle these types of medicines.

Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals, such as GPs, pharmacists, or registered nurses, play a critical role in prescribing, maintaining, and advising on medication. While they may not be physically present in the care setting every day, their input significantly influences medication practices.

Their responsibilities include:

• Prescribing medication that meets the individual’s needs.
• Providing clear instructions for staff to follow, such as dosage and timings.
• Offering advice on potential side effects, interactions, or adjustments to medication.
• Regularly reviewing prescriptions to ensure ongoing suitability.

In some social care settings, particularly those supporting individuals with complex medical needs, healthcare professionals may administer certain medications themselves. For example, a district nurse might visit a care home to administer injections or set up a syringe driver.

The Role of the Individual

The person receiving care may also have responsibilities regarding their medication. This will depend on their capacity and willingness to manage their own medication.

Some individuals can fully self-administer their medication. In these cases, care staff should:

• Support them to store their medication securely.
• Encourage and remind them where needed (if agreed in their care plan).
• Monitor their general health and wellbeing.

If a person lacks the capacity to manage their medication, staff must act in the person’s best interest under the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This often involves supporting them to take medication in a way that respects their dignity and autonomy.

Guidance from the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

The CQC regulates health and social care services, ensuring compliance with national standards. Guidance from the CQC provides clarity on responsibilities around medication and is a key framework for care providers to follow.

The CQC expects:

• Safe systems for managing medication to be in place.
• Staff to be trained, competent, and confident in all aspects of medication handling.
• Service users’ needs and preferences to be central to medication practices.

Failure to follow CQC requirements can result in warnings, fines, or enforcement actions against the care provider.

Legal Considerations

There are several regulations governing medication in social care. Some of the key ones include:

• Medicines Act 1968 – Sets out the legal framework for medicines in the UK.
• Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 – Ensures the safe provision of all aspects of care, including medication.
• Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 – Governs the use of controlled drugs, such as morphine or diazepam.

All staff must understand and work within the boundaries of the law when handling medication. For example, only qualified nurses or authorised staff can administer controlled drugs.

Teamwork and Communication

Medication management in social care is a team effort. Clear communication enhances safety and ensures everyone knows their role. Effective teamwork includes:

• Regular handovers about medication during shift changes.
• Sharing updates about any changes to prescriptions or medication needs.
• Using correct documentation to avoid misunderstandings or errors.

If a change is made to an individual’s prescription, staff should document it immediately and notify others involved in their care.

Supporting Training and Competency

Training is essential in enabling care staff to fulfil their medication responsibilities. Organisations should provide comprehensive training that matches the tasks staff are expected to perform. Topics usually covered include:

• The correct way to administer various types of medication.
• How to use and complete medication administration records (MARs).
• Legal requirements around medicines handling and storage.
• Procedures for recognising and reporting medication errors.

Supervisors should regularly assess staff competency in medication management. This ensures that everyone is working to safe, up-to-date, and effective practices.

Shared Responsibility and Accountability

Medication involves shared responsibilities, but accountability lies with specific people when things go wrong. For example:

• Care staff are accountable for following care plans and administering medication correctly.
• Managers are accountable for maintaining a safe system and ensuring staff are trained.
• Organisations are accountable for compliance with the law and ensuring people’s safety.

Mistakes can happen, but good systems, communication, and training reduce risks significantly. Being clear about responsibilities boosts safety and promotes trust.

Final Thoughts

Responsibility for medication in social care is shared but well-defined. Organisations, managers, care staff, healthcare professionals, and individuals themselves all have clear roles in ensuring medication is handled safely. By working together, they protect the health and wellbeing of the people they care for.