Homecare Medicines Service
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Why have I been given this information leaflet?
You have been given this leaflet as your doctor has prescribed you medicines which can be delivered directly to your home or another place of your choice. This service is known as ‘homecare medicines service’.
What is the homecare medicines service?
The homecare medicines service is the delivery of your medicines or treatment directly to your home or a preferred location. With your consent, Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Trust will send your prescription to one of our homecare providers, who will dispense and deliver your medicines.
How does the homecare medicines service work?
Your prescription will be prepared by your clinical team at the hospital and will be sent to the homecare company. The homecare company will then dispense your medicine and contact you to arrange your first delivery (this process may take up to 2 weeks). A nurse from the homecare company may visit you at home to teach you how to take your medicine. Alternatively, the company may provide you with virtual teaching videos.
Some medicines have special storage requirements, such as being stored in a fridge. The clinical team at the hospital as well as the homecare company will explain how to store the medicine correctly. The homecare company will also provide additional information regarding how to ensure your fridge is at the right temperature and how to report any problems.
The homecare company will provide you with all the relevant information regarding the medicine and any additional equipment you may require, such as a sharps bin. Once you have started taking your medicine, ensure that you follow the instructions given by your doctor and take it regularly. If you have any problems or concerns about your medicine, please contact your clinical team at the hospital.
What are the benefits of using this service?
Your medicines will be sent directly to your home or other preferred location, at regular intervals. This means you do not have to attend the hospital to collect your medicine and the homecare company can fit the delivery in with your normal life.
Receiving your deliveries
It is entirely your responsibility to ensure that either you or someone is at home and available to receive your medicine at the arranged date and time. If something unexpected occurs and you are no longer able to accept the delivery of your medicine, you must contact the homecare company’s delivery team in advance.
You must also be available to take phone calls from your homecare company to confirm delivery arrangements. If you change your phone number, you must let your homecare company know. If they are unable to contact you, there may be delays to your delivery.
If you are having delivery issues such as having too frequent deliveries or not enough, then it is your responsibility to discuss this with the homecare company. Contact your clinical team at the hospital if you are running out of your medicines and a new delivery has not been arranged by the homecare company. Provide at least two weeks’ notice before taking your last dose, to ensure the clinical team has been given enough time to sort out any issues with the homecare company.
Regular blood tests
You will be invited to attend your routine hospital appointments, so that the hospital can monitor your health. You also have regular blood tests to ensure that you are benefiting from your medicine, and that it is not causing you any side effects or problems.
Not attending your appointments/blood tests may lead to your treatment and your medicine deliveries being interrupted.
About the homecare companies we use
The homecare companies that we use are private companies who are not part of the NHS or our hospital but are required to provide a high standard of service and are all regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). These homecare companies vary depending on which medicine or treatment you are started on.
Occasionally, your homecare company may change but this should cause little to no inconvenience to you. We only use tried and trusted homecare companies, who have years of experience in providing quality homecare medicines service.
What information will the homecare company know about me?
The homecare company will be supplied with your personal details (including name, home address, contact details, medical condition, and treatment) which they will store on a secure computer network. The homecare company is bound by the same confidentiality rules as the NHS (The Data Protection Act 2018). All the above information will only be supplied to the homecare company once you have given verbal or written consent. The homecare company will only contact you to arrange a delivery or to discuss your treatment with you or the clinical team at the hospital.
Who should I contact if I have a problem?
You should contact the homecare company if:
- The delivery did not come when it was supposed to.
- You would like to change the agreed delivery date or time.
- You are running low on medication and have not been contacted by your homecare company.
- You have any other queries regarding delivery or want to make a complaint regarding it.
You should contact the medical team if:
- You feel your condition is getting worse.
- You want to discuss your condition and/or treatment.
You should contact your pharmacy homecare team if:
- You are unable to get through to your homecare company to arrange a delivery.
- You have any concerns regarding the homecare company.
- You would like to make a formal complaint about your homecare medicines service.
You should contact the medicines information department on 01908 995733 if you have any queries regarding the medicine. They are open Monday to Thursday between 2-5pm. Alternatively, you can leave a message at the answer phone, and they will get back to you as soon as possible.
Homecare company contact numbers
Sciensus (Heathcare at Home)
Tel: 0333 103 9499
Lloyds Homecare
Tel: 0345 263 6123
Pharmaxo
Tel: 01225 302188
Alcura Homecare
Tel: 0800 012 1551
Healthnet Homecare
Tel: 0800 0833 060