Ensuring the safety of patient’s medicines

The Green Bag Scheme, developed on the Isle of Wight, has been rolled out across the region to ensure the safety of patient’s medicines when they are admitted to hospital.

Patients are urged to keep all their medicines in a special green bag, so that when they need treatment they can just pick up the bag and take it with them.

This allows doctors to have quick access to what the patient is already taking and treat accordingly.

Gill Honeywell, from St Mary’s Hospital, said: “The scheme is of interest nationally and it is hoped that the Green Bag becomes a ‘bag for life’ and patients will use it routinely for all their medicines.

Patients can pick up a bag from their pharmacy.