New guidelines for medicines management in aged care

A new set of guidelines to help residential aged care providers manage medicines as safely as possible, has been launched by National MP Jo Goodhew in Timaru today.

Mrs Goodhew is a former nurse, and launched the Ministry of Health guidelines at a meeting of GreyPower in Timaru today.

Releasing the Medicines Care Guides for Residential Aged Care on behalf of Health Minister Tony Ryall, Mrs Goodhew says, "They will provide a valuable and timely tool for residential care providers.

"The guides have been developed after several audits and a wide-ranging review revealed that a significant number of providers were not meeting the standard for safe medication management."

Work on the Guides was led by Dr Michal Boyd, a Gerontology Nurse Practitioner and senior lecturer with the FreeMasons’ Department of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Auckland.

The Medicines Care Guides are designed to be used by managers, nurses, health care assistants, and other health professionals who work in residential aged care facilities.

Mrs Goodhew says, "As well as detailing procedures for managing and storing medicines, keeping records and dealing with adverse reactions, the guides provide a quick clinical reference for common conditions and topics encountered in the care of older people.

Mrs Goodhew says the guides are designed to support best practice in residential aged care environments and do not replace sound clinical judgement, facility-specific policies and procedures, or current legislation.