Your medicines in hospital

Bringing your medicines into hospital

It's important for the team looking after you to know about all the medicines that you're taking. This is so that they can make sure you're given the right medicines in hospital.

When you come to hospital, remember to bring all of your medicines with you. If your hospital visit is unplanned, please ask family or a friend to bring them in if they can.

Bringing your own supply of medicines with you means that there will be no delays to you getting your medicines during your stay.

Although the hospital keeps lots of medicines, it’s not possible to keep all of them. If you do not bring your medicines into hospital with you, and the hospital does not stock them, you might need to change to another, similar, medicine. If there’s no suitable medicine available, the hospital will order it for you, but this might take a few days.

The doctor, nurse or pharmacist might check how you take your medicines. For example, how you use an inhaler for asthma, or how you use an injection pen for diabetes. By bringing your medicines into hospital they can check that they're the most suitable medicines for you.

If you find it difficult to remember what medicines you take and how often, it's a good idea to keep an up-to-date list. Bring this list, or your repeat prescription request form, into hospital with you.

Taking your medicines in hospital

If you bring your own medicines into hospital, you might be able to take them yourself (rather than the nursing staff giving them to you).

Read our information about self or carer administration of medicine in hospital.

Any medicines that you bring into hospital will be stored securely on the ward, usually in a locked medicine cabinet beside your bed. If you change wards during your stay, you'll take your medicines with you.

The medicines you bring into hospital will be given back to you before you leave. If your medicines change, any that you no longer need can be disposed of by the hospital.

Do not worry if you cannot bring your medicines into hospital. If possible, ask a friend or relative to bring them in when they visit you. See the information for visitors for up-to-date guidance on visiting.

If you do not bring your medicines with you, we can give you the medicines you need during your stay. Your ward will keep some of the most common medicines in stock. Other medicines will be ordered from the pharmacy.

Questions about your medicines

Most wards have a pharmacy team that visit every day. They can answer any questions about your medicines and talk to you about any concerns you have.

If you'd like to speak to a pharmacist, you can talk to them when they're on the ward, or you can ask one of the nurses to contact them for you.

You might find it helpful to look through a list of questions before the pharmacist's next visit, and write down any other questions you have.

Please let your pharmacist know if you'd like to have a member of your family with you when you speak to them.

Medicines when you leave hospital

When you leave hospital, you'll be given:

• any new medicines, such as antibiotics or painkillers
• any medicines that have changed (for example, if the amount you take has increased)
• a replacement of your own medicines, if these have been used up in hospital and you have less than 14 days treatment with you or at home

You'll get a copy of your discharge letter, which will also be sent to your GP. This letter will list your medicines and any changes made during your hospital stay. Your GP will then be able to give you a prescription for any medicines, which you can get at your local pharmacy.

Remember that your GP might need 48 hours to issue the prescription, and they might need to see you first. Please make sure you contact them in plenty of time before your medicines run out.

We will not give routine long-term medicines that your GP prescribes for you if there have been no changes during your hospital stay. You’ll need to get a prescription for more of these medicines from your GP as usual.

If you have any questions or concerns about your medicines after you leave hospital, please call the medicines helpline.

Support from your local pharmacy

The discharge medicines service links you to your community pharmacist so you can talk about your medicines. They'll help you with taking new medicines or any changes to them so you can take them safely and confidently after you leave hospital.

If you'd like to use this service, please speak to your hospital pharmacy team.