Definition
A self-medication assessment tool is used for assessing a service users’ ability to self-medicate if they so wish.
Why is a self-medication assessment tool necessary?
It supports people who wish to and are capable of self-administrating their medicines to do so safely. It ensures that all students who wish to self-administer are assessed for suitability using this risk assessment tool.
Points of consideration when assessing a service user
Self-medication is an important step towards independence and should be encouraged; provided student’s capabilities, including mental capacity, has been assessed and found to be adequate and robust. Students will only be able to self-medicate if their parents have completed and signed the school’s “Self-medication consent form”. Students will not be permitted to continue to self-medicate if they display poor compliance; unstable medical or mental condition; or the student wishes to discontinue.
Recording of assessment
All assessments must be formally recorded in the students care plan and if ever the student is unable to administer their own medicines i.e. through sudden illness, the SCL team must document this. The assessments should be reviewed regularly with any change in circumstances clearly recorded.