Services Database Medication Administration Record (MAR) Chart Service for Domiciliary Carers (Bradford Area)

The pharmacy team will help support domiciliary care workers by preparing a medication record administration (MAR) chart when a prescription is presented for a patient assessed as requiring the service.

• The pharmacy will be contacted by Bradford Adult Community Care when they identify a service user who requires a MAR chart.
• As part of this service request, a Medicines Use Review (MUR) may be requested. Such a review will also present the pharmacist with an opportunity to discuss with the GP how particular drug regimens may be simplified.
• The pharmacy will annotate the patient medication record that the patient requires a MAR chart. The pharmacy will prepare duplicate labels for each dispensed medicine(s) at the time of dispensing the prescription and attach them to the MAR chart. The issuing of labels NOT attached to the chart is not permissible. Once the label has been attached to the chart the letters “MAR” will be written starting on the left hand side of the chart and continuing onto the label.
• The pharmacy will keep the prepared chart together with the dispensed medication for collection or delivery to the service user. If medicines are prescribed at a different time to regular prescriptions then the MAR chart will be returned to the pharmacy for labels to be attached.
• Where a new medicine is prescribed mid-month the pharmacy may be required to assist in the synchronisation of quantities for future prescriptions.
• The pharmacy will maintain appropriate records to ensure effective ongoing service delivery and facilitate audit.
• If a service user is admitted to a hospital or clinic within NHS Bradford & Airedale, every effort will be made to give the MAR chart and medicine(s) to ward or clinic staff.
• On discharge from a hospital in NHS Bradford & Airedale, the hospital pharmacy will supply the patient with a new MAR chart and medicine(s).

The pharmacy contractor will ensure that all pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service have relevant knowledge and are appropriately trained in the operation of the service. All staff involved in the dispensing process should have a basic knowledge of the SOP for MAR charts. Suitably trained members of dispensing staff will prepare the MAR chart and deal with routine queries. The pharmacist will deal with any clinical or complex queries.