Medicines when you leave hospice or hospital
This information is for people who have been staying in a hospice or hospital as an in-patient. It may also help family, friends and carers to know about your medicines and how they can help you. When you leave the hospice or hospital, you may be given medicines to take with you. This page explains what to expect, how to store and dispose of medicines, and what to do if you don't want to take your medicines.
This page contains general information. Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you have questions about your own situation.
On this page:
What happens to your medicines when you leave the hospice or hospital
You might take medicines to help control your illness, or to manage your symptoms or side effects. You might take one type of medicine or several different ones. It's important to understand what each medicine is for and why you're taking it.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will give you written information about your medicines and what they're for. They will also give you written information about when to take your medicines and how much to take.
Each medicine will come with instructions about how to take it and how to store it safely.
Speak to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you are not sure why you've been given a medicine or how you should take it.
How much medicine you get from the hospice or hospital
Your hospice or hospital team will give you some medicines to take until your next prescription is due from your GP. The amount they give you can vary depending on the hospice and the type of medicines you're taking. Ask how many days of medicines they'll give you.
How to get more medicines when you're at home
Your hospice or hospital team will send your GP information about the medicines you're taking. This is sometimes called a 'Discharge letter' or 'Treatment to take out (TTO) letter'.
Your hospice or hospital team should also give you a copy of this letter. It can be helpful for you to keep a list of the medicines you've been given, in case you speak to your GP before they see the letter. If you have not been given a copy of your discharge letter, you can ask your hospice or hospital doctor, nurse or pharmacist to give you one.
To get more medicines:
- Contact your GP to arrange your prescription soon after returning home. You might be able to do this over the phone or you might need to see your GP in person.
- Your GP will give you a prescription for the medicines.
- Take the prescription to a pharmacy to collect the medicines.
A friend or family member can help you organise and collect your prescription. Some pharmacies will collect the prescription from your GP and deliver the medicines to your home. Ask your pharmacy for more information about this.
It's important that you do not run out of medicines, as this could make your symptoms or side effects worse. It's a good idea to contact your GP soon after leaving the hospice or hospital. Some GPs and pharmacies are closed at weekends and bank holidays, which could cause delays. If a pharmacy does not have particular medicines in store, they may need to order it, which can take more time.
Occasionally, your GP may not be able to prescribe a certain medicine. This is because they are specialist medicines and can only be prescribed by a specialist team. If this is the case, your GP will let you know and tell you how to arrange your prescriptions.
Medicines that look or taste differently, or are called by different names
Sometimes the same medicine will have different names. A medicine might have a brand name, which is the name given to the medicine by the company who developed it. The same medicine might also have a generic name, which is the name of the active ingredient in the medicine.
Medicines can come in different forms that look or taste differently to one another. For example, the same medicine might come in a tablet or in a capsule with powder inside.
Check the medicines you've been given are the ones you've been prescribed. If they look or taste different than normal, you can ask your GP, nurse or pharmacist about them.
Storing and disposing of medicines
How to store medicines at home
Each medicine will come with instructions about how to store it safely.
Most medicines need to be kept in a cool and dry place. Make sure to check the storage directions on the packet.
Find a safe place to store your medicines. It's very important that you store them safely so that no one else takes them, either on purpose or by mistake. It can be dangerous for other people to take your medicines, especially children, older people or vulnerable people.
How to dispose of leftover medicines
If you stop taking your medicines for any reason, or they go past their use-by date, you may have some left over. It's important to get rid of them safely.
Take any medicines you have not used to a pharmacy. They will be able to dispose of them safely. If you've used needles to take your medicines, you will have been given a container to put them in (sometimes called a 'sharps bin'). Ask your pharmacist, GP or district nurse what you should do with the container, as this can vary depending on where you live.
You should not keep leftover medicines, throw them in the rubbish bin, flush them down the toilet or give them to anyone else. They could harm other people, animals or the environment.
If you do not want to take your medicines
Sometimes, people want to stop taking their medicines. This is usually because they do not think their medicines are helping them, or because the medicines are causing side effects.
You should only stop taking medicines after getting advice from your GP, nurse or pharmacist. If you stop taking your medicines, you could get side effects or your symptoms could get worse.
If you're not sure whether your medicines are helping you, talk to your GP, nurse or pharmacist. They can give you more information about why you've been given the medicines.
If you're having side effects, tell your GP, nurse or pharmacist. They may be able to change your medicines, change the dose (the amount you're taking) or help you manage the side effects.
Things to remember when leaving the hospice or hospital
When you leave the hospice or hospital, there are some things it's important to know. This checklist will help you make sure you know everything you need to.
- I've been given ______ days of medicine.
- I know which medicines I need to take.
- I know what each medicine is for.
- I know when and how to take my medicines.
- I know what the common side effects are.
- I know what to do if I get side effects.
- I know what to do if I want to stop taking my medicines.
- I've spoken with my GP about getting more medicines.
- I know how to dispose of my medicines.
Who to contact for more information
It can help to write down the details about who you should contact if you have questions about your medicines or side effects after you leave the hospice. Make sure you know who to call if you have any problems at evenings or weekends. If you're not sure who this should be, ask the hospice staff or your GP.
If you're not sure, you can contact:
- your GP
- your local out-of-hours service at evenings or weekends
- your community or district nurses
- your local pharmacy
- NHS 111.
- NHS - Find a pharmacy in England
- nidirect - Find a pharmacy in Northern Ireland
- NHS Inform - Find a pharmacy in Scotland
- NHS 111 Wales - Find a pharmacy in Wales
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About this information
This information is not intended to replace any advice from health or social care professionals. We suggest that you consult with a qualified professional about your individual circumstances. Read more about how our information is created and how it's used.
