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The Discharge Medicines Service links the hospital, your chosen community pharmacist and your GP. This allows them to support you with your medicines in the best possible way. The aim is to help you use your medicines safely and effectively once discharged from hospital.
How this service can help
During a stay in hospital there can often be changes to your medicines. The Discharge Medicines Service is a way of updating your community pharmacy and GP when you are discharged from hospital. They can then ensure you are getting the best out of your medicines.
The service is there to:
- make sure you are taking the right type and dose of medicine
- improve the transfer of information about your medicines between hospital and community pharmacy
- help you understand more about the medicines you take
- give you support and information around your medicines.
Who this service is for
This service is for anyone who could benefit from additional support with their medicines once they have been discharged from hospital. It might help you if, for example:
- you have been prescribed new medicines
- you have had changes to your medicines
- you are on more than 5 different medicines
- you need help at home to take your medicines.
How the service works
- If the ward team think you would benefit from the Discharge Medicines Service, they will get in touch with the hospital pharmacist while you are in hospital.
- Once you are ready to be discharged, a Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacist will come and speak to you about your medicines and the discharge service.
- If you would like to use the service, you can choose which community pharmacy is convenient for you.
- Once you (or your carer/relative) have agreed to it, a copy of your discharge summary, with information about your medicines, will be sent electronically to your chosen community pharmacy.
- When you are home from hospital, your community pharmacist may contact you to arrange a convenient time to discuss your medicines.
- Your pharmacist will continue to review, monitor and support you with all your medicines for as long as it is needed. This will include checking you are taking the right medicines when they receive any new prescriptions from your GP. Your pharmacist will not be able to make changes to your prescriptions but can speak to the doctor when necessary.
During the appointment, your community pharmacist can:
- review all your medicines, including any newly prescribed
- look at any changes made to your medicines while you were in hospital
- explain what each medicine is for, how to take them safely, and common side effects
- answer any questions you have.
More information and support
If you need further information about this service or your medicines once you’ve been discharged home, contact Kingston Hospital medicines information helpline (contact details listed below) or your chosen community pharmacy.
Contact information
Kingston Hospital medicines information helpline
Telephone:
020 8546 7711 ext. 209
(9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
If out of hours, call the ward you were discharged from via the switchboard
020 8546 7711