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The Champion • Wednesday 27 November 2013‘Bring yourmedicationto hospital’Pharmacists in plea to inpatientsReport byDanielle ThompsonWKGot an interesting story to tell?Champ Newsdesk 01704 392400Visit us @ www.ChampNews.com • 13HEALTH chiefs are urgingpatients who are due to enterhospital as inpatients toremember to take their regularmedication with them in order toensure a “safer, smoother stay” –and cut waste.At present, some 60,000inpatients attend Southport andOrmskirk hospitals each year.Steve Simpson, clinicalpharmacy services manager forSouthport and Ormskirk HospitalNHS Trust, said: “We will provideall the medicines a patient needsfor treatment during theirhospital stay. However, it isimportant patients remember tobring with them their ownmedicines that they regularlytake at home.”This is important because itmeans staff will know patients aresafe because they are taking themedicines prescribed by their GP.Also, knowing this should makethe discharge process smoother,while wasteful duplicateprescriptions of expensivemedicines is avoided.Steve added: “Leavingmedicines at home can delaytreatment because our doctorsand pharmacists must establishwhat a patient is taking beforeSteve Simpson with examplesof medicines thrown away dueto duplicate prescriptionsCode NAany new medicines can beprescribed.“We always check the medicinespatients bring into hospital,ensuring they are labelledcorrectly and are the ones the GPhas prescribed.“We also make sure they’restored securely with any othermedicines that are needed.”PLUS Christmas Shop50 % 60 %OFFwas £60 was £30NOW £2450 %OFFwas £18 NOW £9was £90 NOW £4550 %OFF50 %OFF30 %OFFwas £10 was £7NOW £5was £15 was £10NOW £7.5050 %OFFwas £20 NOW £10£10OFF20%OFFwas £36 NOW £25was £10 NOW £530 % was £35NOW £25 was £40NOW £32was £65 NOW £451124615SOUTHPORT 01704 535177 |@1123765