Recurring concern

Unreliable medication checking in care homes

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First reported 14 Jul 2016•Latest report 14 Apr 2022

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes failures of care-home processes for checking or scrutinising residents' medication, including unclear or variable checking frequency and failure to conduct required medication review during care-home visits.

Not included

  • Excludes medication prescribing, dispensing, administration or supply failures where the care-home medication-checking process is not the unsafe condition.
  • Excludes generic staffing, training, documentation or governance deficiencies unless they directly cause unreliable medication checking in care homes.
  • Excludes clinical medication review outside care homes unless the assertion explicitly concerns the same care-home medication-checking process.
  • Excludes failures limited to acting on a medication problem after a reliable check has been completed.
Reports
3

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
3

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2016–2022

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
8

Described in published responses

Reports over time

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Alexander Court Care Centre1
Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB1
Department of Health and Social Care1

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. North Wales (East and Central)

    AI-generated summary

    Nora Jane Foulkes · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Nora Jane Foulkes, an 87-year-old resident of a residential home, was admitted to hospital on 11 April 2021 and died on 16 April 2021. Her untreated hypothyroidism was contributory to her death, which was due to cardiorespiratory failure resulting from bronchopneumonia and an existing cardiac condition. Concerns included the failure to restart and subsequently monitor her hypothyroidism treatment, and the lack of routine medication review during ANP visits because of time constraints.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Absence of proper medication scrutiny or review during each care home visit

    Wider context from the report

    “3. I am concerned that the absence of proper scrutiny or review of the medication of elderly patients in care homes during each visit presents a risk to life as it can lead to the type of error which occurred in this case not being identified. ”

    Source location

    Nora Jane Foulkes · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Conduct a formal internal investigation to identify root causes and lessons learned.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Due to the incident not being reported at the time, a formal review was not undertaken or reviewed by the Health Board’s Incident Learning Panel. We will conduct a formal internal investigation to identify root causes and lessons learned. Which will be disseminated to all district nursing teams. This will be completed by 30 June 2022.”

    Source location

    Response from BCUHB
    Page 2 · response
    Published 27 April 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Disseminate the internal investigation’s lessons to all district nursing teams.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Due to the incident not being reported at the time, a formal review was not undertaken or reviewed by the Health Board’s Incident Learning Panel. We will conduct a formal internal investigation to identify root causes and lessons learned. Which will be disseminated to all district nursing teams. This will be completed by 30 June 2022.”

    Source location

    Response from BCUHB
    Page 2 · response
    Published 27 April 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Conduct and document medication reviews at every local district nursing visit using a checklist countersigned by the care home.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Concern was also noted that whilst ANPs could access medication charts if required, this was not being done routinely. I can advise changes have been made to the way the local District Nursing team in the Ruthin and Conwy locality work, which incorporates a documented medication review at each visit. A check list has been developed to prompt clinical staff to review key criteria at each visit, including medication changes/administration. The checklist is initiated by both the visiting nurse and the home manager/deputy. The checklist forms part of the patient’s individual nursing record for review and auditing.”

    Source location

    Response from BCUHB
    Page 2 · response
    Published 27 April 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Survey all district nursing teams to assess compliance with consistent medication-review practice.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The learning from this matter, including the medication review issues identified above, will be checked across all district nursing teams to ensure consistent practice across the Health Board. We will survey all teams to assess their level of compliance. This will be completed by 30 June 2022.”

    Source location

    Response from BCUHB
    Page 2 · response
    Published 27 April 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Develop or adapt district nursing standard operating procedures and checklists to assure medication reviews.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Following this survey, all district nursing teams will develop (or review and adapt) a Standard Operating Procedure/checklist to meet the needs of their own services that provides assurance of medication reviews. This will be completed by 31 December 2022. We will discuss with our Clinical Effectiveness Team how this can be audited over a longer period of time, to ensure that we have ongoing assurance that the changes have been embedded and sustained.”

    Source location

    Response from BCUHB
    Page 2 · response
    Published 27 April 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Discuss with the Clinical Effectiveness Team how to audit medication-review changes over the longer term.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Following this survey, all district nursing teams will develop (or review and adapt) a Standard Operating Procedure/checklist to meet the needs of their own services that provides assurance of medication reviews. This will be completed by 31 December 2022. We will discuss with our Clinical Effectiveness Team how this can be audited over a longer period of time, to ensure that we have ongoing assurance that the changes have been embedded and sustained.”

    Source location

    Response from BCUHB
    Page 2 · response
    Published 27 April 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Review a proposal for structured medication-review collaboration between Central Community Pharmacy and the Central Community Resource Team.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “• A proposal has been developed (currently under review) for the Central Community Pharmacy team to work more collaboratively with the Central (Area) Community Resource Team (CRT) which will include regular structured medication reviews for nursing and residential home patients.”

    Source location

    Response from BCUHB
    Page 3 · response
    Published 27 April 2022

    Open published response
  2. Manchester South

    AI-generated summary

    Joan Wright · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Joan Wright, who had poor mobility and was unable to communicate verbally, died at Belmont Residential Home on 16 September 2017; the post-mortem found extensive coronary artery atheroma. The report raised concerns about the incorrect administration and handling of Oramorph, medication management at a care home rated inadequate, and failures to recognise and address safeguarding risks after the medication incident.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of a statutory definition of the required frequency of medication checks by care homes

    Wider context from the report

    “6. The CQC gave evidence that the legislation requires regular checks by care homes in relation to medication but there is no statutory definition of what regular means. As a result in some it is monthly in others weekly. ”

    Source location

    Joan Wright · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
  3. London (East)

    AI-generated summary

    Mr Harold Goulding · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Mr Harold Goulding suffered two falls at a care home on 5 and 6 November 2015, followed by a subdural haematoma, seizure and cardiac arrest; he died on 10 November 2015. The concerns included communication failures between the anticoagulation clinic, GP and care home, and the GP not checking the care home’s medication administration record, meaning he was unaware that Mr Goulding was receiving warfarin.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure of General Practitioners to review and approve care home residents’ Medication Administration Records

    Wider context from the report

    “1. The evidence revealed a breakdown of communication between the anti-coagulation clinic, the General Practitioner and the Care Home. The Care Home had registered Mr Goulding with a new General Practitioner but did not notify the anti-coagulation clinic of the details of the new General Practitioner. The community pharmacist therefore continued to provide reports to the old GP. 2. The General Practitioner provided the lead in relation to the administration of medication at the care home. The General Practitioner did not however consider the Medication Administration Record held by the home. The staff providing evidence from the care home agreed that it would reduce risk in the future, if a system is in place to ensure that the General Practitioner attending for new resident reviews, considers and approves the medication set out within the Medication Administration Record. This would not only provide assurance to the Care Home staff in relation to medication that they are administering, but would also ensure that GPs are fully aware of the medication that residents are currently receiving. It was further agreed that in order to reduce future risk, the Care Home staff should take the lead in ensuring that any other health agencies providing care to new residents are informed when the home registers new residents with a new General Practitioner, so that information can be correctly shared. ”

    Source location

    Mr Harold Goulding · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Have the duty nurse accompany GPs on rounds and review medication administration charts and care plans to share relevant information.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “When the GP visits the Home to attend to the resident’s needs, the Nurse on duty will accompany the GP on his rounds and go through the medication administration charts and care plans to ensure all information is shared where necessary. A handover document for use with new resident’s details has been created to ensure relevant information is shared with the new GP where required.”

    Source location

    2016-0248-Response-by-Orchard-Care-Homes
    Page 2 · response
    Published 14 July 2016

    Open published response
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Data last updated 7 September 2026