All You Need To Know

• Medication and consent

  Before you have any medicine, you need to agree to it. This is called consent.

  To give consent, you need to:

  • understand what the medicine is for
  • understand the benefits 
  • understand the risks 
  • know if there are any different options

  No one is allowed to pressure you into making a decision. 

  You can give consent by speaking, writing it down, or showing you agree through your actions. You can change your mind and say no at any time before the medication is given. 

  If you are 16 or older, you can usually make your own decision about treatment.

  If you're under 16 and want to make decisions about your own treatment without parental consent, you'll need to speak to a professional. A professional will need to make sure you are competent to make that decision. This is called Gillick competence.

• What your prescriber should tell you

  The prescriber of your medication should:

  

  • tell you what type of medication they are giving you
  • explain what the medication is for
  • explain how to take your medication safely
  • tell you where and how to store it
  • explain the possible side effects
  • support you to self-administer the medication and be responsible for taking it

• Side effects of medication

  Medicine can sometimes cause side effects. A side effect is when the medicine makes something happen that you didn’t want.

  Some people may feel unwe

  

  ll when taking medicine. They may feel:

  • sick

  • dizzy

  • sleepy

  • thirsty

  • itchy

  If you experience side effects, do not suddenly stop taking the medicine. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist about your symptoms, or call NHS 111. 

  If you have a severe reaction, stop taking the medicine and call 999 immediately. 

  It is important to let your school, college or work place know if you are taking medication and what they may need to do in an emergency.​

• How to take tablets

  Lots of people find it difficult to swallow pills. If you find taking tablets difficult, you can try some of the strategies below, or speak to a pharmacist for advice. 
  
  Things to try:

  • Taking pills, with a drink, ideally water. Always read the instruction leaflet to help guide you. 
  • Lean forward when you swallow. 
  • Try to practice swallowing with small bits of bread. You can start to make the pieces bigger as it gets easier. 

  Try to avoid:

  • Don't crush pills, open capsules, or alter medicine without getting advice from a pharmacist. It could stop the medicines from working properly. 
  • Try not to tip your head back to swallow as it can make things more tricky
  • Don't throw pills into the back of your throat.

  If you still find swallowing tablets a problem, talk to your pharmacist, who may be able to suggest an alternative version of your medicine.

• Pill boxes and managing medication

  It can feel challenging to take medicines, especially if you have to take lots of different types. 
  
  Remembering when to take medication and understanding how much to take can be tricky, so it's helpful to try to be organised. 
  
  You can do this by:

  • Always reading the labels on prescription bottles and boxes to help know how much to take, or when
  • Writing down a list of the medications you take, the dosage and when to take them
  • Using a pill box if you take lots of medication to stay organised. Daily and weekly boxes are available, with some that are small enough to carry in your bag or pocket
  • Getting into the habit of taking medicines at regular times, like before bed or when you wake up, can help build a routine
  • Creating a visual schedule to hang up on your wall to remind you when to take your medicines
  • Setting alarms on your phone to remind you when to take medicines
  • Checking to see if there is an app you can download which might be able to help you keep track.

  Download a MENCAP Easy Read Medicine Tracker

  Download a MENCAP Medicine Tracker for multiple medications

• What to do if you run out of medication

  If you run out of your medication, speak to a pharmacist at your local pharmacy or your GP practice. They will tell you what to do next. Most of the time, they can give you enough medicine to last until you get a new prescription. 

  If this isn't possible, and you have no medicine left, use the 111 online emergency prescription service.

• Why do different brands look different?

  Medicines usually have two different names: a generic name and the brand name given to them by the company that manufactures the drug. 

  Generic name: 

  A generic name is based on the drug's ingredients and is usually the same across the world. The NHS uses generic medicines as they are just as effective as brand names, but often cost less. 

  An example of a common generic name is Paracetamol

  Brand name:

  A brand name is created by a pharmaceutical company to market a particular drug. 

  An example of a brand name containing paracetamol is Calpol. 

  Generic and brand-name medicines may be packaged differently or look different, but are able to do the same thing. If you are worried a medication looks different and want to find out more information, ask a pharmacist. 

• Medication apps

  There are various apps on android and Apple phones that can help you track and log your medications. 
  
  Things to try:

  • Type 'smart phone medication reminder' into your phone's app store to see free medication apps
  • Click on the power button of an iPhone several times to bring up the medical ID. This can contain emergency contacts, medical diagnosis and prescribed medications
  • Apple Health has a setting to create medication reminders. If you don't take your medication within 30 minutes of a set timer then the phone will remind you 
  • Some voice-commanded Android phone assistants can create set reminders when you ask them to. For example, Google Assistant.