Allergies
The recording of drug sensitivity/allergy is important to avoid the inadvertent prescribing, dispensing and administration of an offending drug to the resident. Care home residents are a frail and vulnerable population who are at high risk of adverse drug reactions. There are large discrepancies between drug allergy records, residents care home records, medicines administration record charts and GP medical records. Furthermore, there is no routine system in place for people to keep a record of their own drug sensitivities / allergies. This can lead to confusion over which drugs can be taken safely and can result in residents inadvertently taking a drug they are allergic to.
Click here for information from NICE on allergies
Emollients
Click here for NHS information on Emollients
Emollients: new information about risk of severe and fatal burns with paraffin-containing and paraffin-free emollients
Warnings about the risk of severe and fatal burns are being extended to all paraffin-based emollients regardless of paraffin concentration. Data suggest there is also a risk for paraffin-free emollients.
Read information from the CQC on fire risk from use of emollient creams here