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Medication Administration refresher

Duration: 3 Accreditation: 3 CPD

Costs for in-house courses:

Online; maximum 12 -One session £600 plus vat or 2 sessions in a day £750 plus Vat

Face to face maximum 16 - One session £750 plus vat or 2 sessions in a day £900 plus Vat

This Medication Management Refresher is tailored for staff in children’s residential care, with a focus on children with

Audience: Residential care staff supporting children and young people with learning disabilities and autism

Medicine management training should typically be refreshed at least annually, with annual competency assessments also

required to ensure staff have the necessary knowledge, skills, and up-to-date practices for managing and administering

medications safely and effectively. However, refreshers can also be triggered by changes in best practice, new medicines or

processes, or if a service becomes aware of a specific need, such as a gap in staff competence. An employer can set more

frequent training requirements based on their own policies and procedures.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Apply safe systems of medication handling and administration.

Recognise challenges specific to children with LD and autism and adapt practice.

Understand consent, capacity, and best interest principles in medication use.

Correctly manage PRN medication and monitor its effectiveness.

Report, reflect on, and prevent medication errors.

Work collaboratively with families and professionals to support children’s health and wellbeing.

By request Booking

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No. of attendees

Medication Administration refresher

Accredited by:CPD

  • No dates

Course Outline

2. Principles of Safe Medication Management

• The “6 Rs” (Right child, Right medicine, Right dose, Right time, Right route, Right to refuse)

• Staff roles & responsibilities

• Consent, capacity and best interest decisions (including MCA principles for young people 16+)

• Duty of care and safeguarding considerations

3. Medication in the Context of Learning Disabilities & Autism

• Commonly prescribed medications (e.g. antipsychotics, ADHD medication, anticonvulsants, sleep aids, PRN meds)

• Why children with LD/autism may be prescribed medication• Challenges: communication barriers, sensory sensitivities, resistance/refusal, swallowing difficulties

• Supporting children with understanding, reassurance, and reasonable adjustments

4. Safe Handling & Administration

• Storage requirements (locked cabinets, refrigeration, separation of PRN/controlled drugs)

• Checking and preparing medication

• Administration procedures (oral, topical, liquid vs tablets, controlled drugs)

• Record-keeping: MAR charts, error reporting, incident escalation

• Disposal procedures for unused/expired medication

5. PRN (“as required”) Medication

• Definition and when appropriate

• Authorisation and protocols

• Recording rationale for administration and monitoring effectiveness

• Avoiding over-medication (STOMP-LD principles – Stop Over-Medication of People with a Learning

Disability/Autism)

• Real-world scenarios: When to give/not give PRN

6. Medication Errors & Learning Culture

• Types of medication errors (omission, incorrect dose, wrong child, timing errors, documentation errors)

• Common causes in children’s residential settings

• Reporting and escalation procedures

• Building a no-blame, learning culture

• Reflection on personal practice

7. Partnership Working & Advocacy

• Working with parents, carers, GPs, pharmacies, and CAMHS

• Advocating for children – ensuring medication is regularly reviewed

• Encouraging children’s involvement in their own health decisions (where possible)

Course references - This course will refer where relevant to organisational policy and the following standards:-

Professional Guidance on the safe and secure handling of medicine - Royal Pharmaceutical Society December 2018

(updated 2024)

BNF Publications

This course meets the Children’s Home Quality Standards as outlined in The Children’s Homes Regulations (England) 2015

and Children’s Homes Quality Standards 2015

SOCIAL CARE, ENGLAND CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS, ENGLAND - The Children’s Homes Regulations 2001

Organisation policy