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Medicines Administration Units Consultation

In recent years as care delivery has become more complex, support workers have had increasing levels of involvement in medicines administration across a range of settings. Support workers involvement ranges from the application of “over the counter” creams and ointments, to the administration of insulin and intravenous saline flushes, depending on their individual roles. 

All of the NHS Wales Health Boards and Trusts utilising these roles have developed locally competency-based training programmes. However, there is no accredited education programmes to provide an all Wales standard across the varying levels of responsibility. 

In order to ensure compliance with the All Wales Skills and Career Framework for HCSWs and All Wales Guidance for Health Boards, Trusts and Social Care in respect of Medicines and Care Support Workers, a suite of accredited work-based learning units has been developed in collaboration with Agored Cymru that reflect current practice.  It is proposed that that these units will replace the existing Medicines Administration Units in the current health related Agored Cymru support worker vocational qualifications.

Rationale for the Consultation
Medicines Administration Units need to address the range of support worker involvement in Medicines Management in hospital and community settings.  The suite of units provides a standard that aligns with the All Wales Guidance for Health Boards, Trusts and Social Care in respect of Medicines and Care Support Workers across NHS Wales.

In order to ensure that the newly developed units meet the requirements of a wide range of stakeholders, HEIW on behalf of NHS Wales, we are seeking your comments and feedback on the suite of medicines management units.

Objectives of the Consultation
Review and confirm the content and range of the new suite of medicines management units, to include the structure, content and supporting information

  1. Identify if there are any other areas that need to be developed, such as Administration of Medicines via a nasogastric tube.
  2. To establish if the suite can apply equally to adults and children
  3. To establish if a numeracy assessment should be a requirement

Proposed Structure of the Suite of Units
It is being proposed that the suite will form a hub and spoke model.

The hub being the underpinning knowledge unit Principles of Medicines Administration which all candidates would need to complete, together with at least one of the spoke units:

The spoke units are:

Existing Specialist Units
There are 2 existing Agored Cymru units that could also be included in the suite:

Numeracy Assessment
This would confirm that an individual has the required level of mathematical ability required to undertake administration of medicines.

The consultation can be accessed here - if you would prefer a hard copy or have any questions please email HEIW.PCA_INDUCTION@wales.nhs.uk

The HEIW Consultations and Privacy Notice gives information on how we manage any information we gather. The survey will close on the 1 September 2021.