How to Store Drugs Safely at Home Infographic

How to safely store drugs at home

How to safely store and use drugs at home

Store all medicines out of sight and out of reach
Store in a dry and cool place. Bathrooms make poor locations due to moisture and varied temperatures
Invest in a secure, lockable, domestic medicine cabinet
Do not leave medicine in handbags or on bedside tables
Remember to treat products such as nappy rash ointments, vitamins and eye drops in the same way as what is more commonly thought of as medicines
Close your medicine caps tightly after every use
Choose child-resistant caps for medicine bottles, if available
And remember, child-resistant does not mean child-proof
Be alert to visitors’ medicine. Put guests’ purses, bags and coats out of reach of children to protect their property from a curious child
The time to be most alert is when you are ill and the medicine is in constant use. This is when care should be taken to remember the safety rules

Dosage is vital. Use the dosing tool that comes with the medicine, as using a kitchen spoon could result in an over-dose
Keep all medicines in their original packages and containers
Read the label
Don’t give higher doses than recommended
Check the label to find out what’s in the medicine to avoid giving a double dose with another medicine

Make sure you talk to any caregivers about dosages and times to avoid double doses
Write clear instructions to other caregivers, including what medicine to give, when to give it and the correct dose

Reduce the risk of kids getting into medicine by getting rid of unused or expired medicine
To dispose of medicine yourself, pour it into a sealable plastic bag. If the medicine is a pill, add water to dissolve it. Then add kitty litter, sawdust or coffee grounds to the plastic bag. You can add anything that mixes with the medicine to make it less appealing for children or pets
If the drugs are strong flush them down the toilet

Teach your child that medicine should always be given by an adult
Don’t refer to medicine as sweets
Practice what you preach
Educate your pre-teens and teens on how to read a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) for over-the-counter drugs or a prescription label
Communicate to kids the importance of only taking medicine that is meant for them
Teach your child that medicine labels are rules, not guidelines

Talk to grandparents about being extra mindful with medicine or pillboxes when children are around
Don’t forget to remind other family members and visitors as well
Put the UK National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) number in your phone (0844 892 0111)
If your child has collapsed, is not breathing, or has a seizure, call 999
Do not make children vomit or give them anything unless directed by a professional