Large Print Medication Labels Patients with partial vision can find it difficult to discern the fine print on medication labels.

Print pharmacy medication labels with much bigger font size . Most pharmacy management software allows labels to be printed in a standard size but this can be changed. Ensure for smaller medication boxes, warnings and other information on the box are not obscured. When dispensing medication, advise the patient should be advised that the full medication information is available on the medication safety sheet inside (though the text of this may be too small). Signpost to alternative information for medication information leaflets.

Storage of Medication

Please highlight to patients how medication should be stored, especially if it needs refrigerating or not. Consider adding a dispensing flag to identify fridge storage requirements.

Disposal of Medication

Patients with sight impairments may not be able to check the expiry dates of medication. This is particularly true for PRN – ‘use as required’ medication. It can be helpful to offer for patients to bring medication into you for checking of expiry dates. Most pharmacies offer a medication disposal service, but people with a sight impairment might not readily recognise which medications was dispensed by which pharmacy. Reducing the number of medications at home reduces the opportunities for error. Don’t assume everyone has some else at home to help organise medication as this often isn’t the case and people might not want someone else knowing what medications they are taking.