Drug administration in day centres for people with learning disabilities

A study was made of the problems associated with the need to administer medicines at day centres for people with learning disabilities. In Leicestershire, 167 (13%) of 1317 people with learning disabilities who attended day centres required the administration of medicines. The percentage of attenders requiring drug administration varied from day centre to day centre (minimum 4%, maximum 23%). Antiepileptics were the most commonly administered drugs, followed by antipsychotics. The administration of medicines took up a significant amount of time for senior members of the day centre staff and had a great potential for errors. In only 32 cases was it deemed essential that the drug administration occurred at the day centre.