Galway Bay FM Newsroom - Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe is marking World Patient Safety Day today by by raising awareness of safe medication practices.
The public are being encouraged to know their medication better with an awareness campaign called "Know, Check, Ask".
"Know, Check, Ask" simply means, know what medications you are taking by keeping a list; check with your healthcare professional to see if you are using them correctly and ask if you are unsure.
A list of tips have also been included that will help patients to actively manage their medicines.
· Keep an up to date list of your medicines and bring it with you if you are attending the hospital Emergency Department or outpatients clinic
· This list should include your GP and pharmacy contact details and a list of an allergies
· Some people find it useful to keep a photo of this list on their phone
· Another option is to take a photo of your medicines with the labels in full view
· It can be helpful if you share this list with a family member or carer
· If there are any changes to your medication ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse to explain what these changes mean
Further information and a downloadable medications list can be found on the HSE Website.
