Social Care

The Control and Administration of Medication Level 3 Course is a comprehensive online training programme designed to equip managers and senior care staff with the essential knowledge required for the safe control, handling, and administration of medicines within social and domiciliary care environments in the UK.

This course is specifically tailored for individuals who will be responsible for supervising or directly undertaking the administration of medicines in their specific care setting, ensuring adherence to current legal requirements and best practice guidelines.

Key Features and Validation

• Target Audience: Managers, senior care workers, and other designated staff.

• Purpose: To provide the theoretical knowledge necessary to safely manage and administer medication.

• UK Standard Alignment: This course fully meets and covers the entirety of the Learning Outcomes for the “Knowledge Set for Medication” as defined by Skills for Care and Development in 2005.

Pathway to Competency

Successful completion of the course involves two components:

1. Theoretical Component: Successful completion of the online course, which verifies the individual’s knowledge.

2. Practical Component: Following the online course, the individual must be observed by a designated person to prove their competency in administering a range of medicines in practice.

   • A downloadable proforma is provided to registered students to help document this practical assessment.

   • Upon successful completion of both the theoretical and practical components, a manager may formally recognise an individual as a person designated for the administration of medicines.

Learning Outcomes (Knowledge Focus)

The course aims to ensure participants can:

• Legislation and Guidance: Describe the key legislation and guidance relevant to the safe handling of medicines in the UK.

• Organisational Policy: Identify how organisational policies and procedures are crucial for maintaining the safe handling of medicines.

• Prescribing and Dispensing: Outline the complete process for the prescribing, dispensing, obtaining, and checking of medicines across different care settings and for both medical and non-medical staff.

• Support and Confidentiality: Outline the range of support and guidance available regarding medicines, and explain the critical importance of confidentiality concerning an individual’s medication disclosure.

• Types and Classification: Identify the types, purpose, and classification of medicines commonly administered.

• Administration Routes and Competence: Explain the various routes by which medicines may be administered, the specific rules that relate to each method, and the necessary level of competence required.

• Adverse Effects and Reporting: Outline the importance of checking for, recognising, and reporting effects that may occur due to an adverse reaction, a contraindication, or an interaction between medicines.

• Consent and Risk Assessment: Explain the necessity of gaining consent and undertaking a risk assessment before the self-administration or secondary administration (by care staff) of medicines.

• Preparation and Accuracy: Describe the importance of meticulous preparation for and administration of medicines to ensure accuracy.

• Recording: Identify the importance of accurate recording for both the administration and refusal of medicines, as well as for documenting any administration errors.

• Storage and Disposal: Recognise the requirements for ensuring the accuracy and validation of safe storage and recording of medicines, as well as the procedures for their safe disposal.