Explaining how to use or take medicines: supporting adherence

Improving understanding

Individuals may have some difficulty understanding how to use or take medicines. Tools exist to help support medication adherence in this population.

Simplifying medication regimens

There is evidence that reducing the number or frequency of medicines where possible can improve adherence. Healthcare professionals may find the SPS resources on polypharmacy useful when undertaking medication review.

New Medicines Service

Community pharmacies offer a New Medicines Service (NMS) to provide support for people with long-term conditions newly prescribed a medicine, to help improve medicines adherence. The NHS website has more information on NMS.

Useful resources

The NHS website hosts an A to Z list of medicines. Each monograph covers how the medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects, and answers to common questions.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) patient decision aids support implementation of its guidelines.

Healthcare professionals may want to signpost to condition specific websites such as Diabetes UK, British Heart Foundation and Asthma and Lung UK.

Reducing language barriers

People with limited or no English may face difficulties in accessing and understanding services, which may affect adherence and increase health inequalities.

You can find more information in our article on Addressing medication safety inequalities across the system (SPS page).

Interpreter services

Each NHS organisation has guidance and policies on accessing and using interpreter services. Enlisting the help of relatives or other healthcare professionals who speak the language is also an option but consideration should be given to maintaining patient confidentiality.

Pharmacy label translation

Translabel is a freely accessible service used to produce labels in other languages. Labels are for use in addition to standard labels as they don’t include all the text required by law.

Patient Information Leaflets (PIL)

X-PIL is a free service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week where people can request PILs:

• in large and clear print
• in braille
• on audio CD

Manufacturers may be able to provide PILs in other languages and should be contacted directly.

Supporting people with lower or no reading ability

A variety of resources are available to assist individuals with lower or no reading ability.

Health Literacy Guide

The Health literacy ‘how to’ guide from Health Education England (PDF) describes practical tools and techniques that practitioners can use to effectively support people with low levels of health literacy.

Pictogram library for medicines

United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Pictograms are standardised graphic images that help convey important medication instructions, precautions, and warnings. The USP library offers 81 pictograms in .gif or .eps format which can be downloaded after accepting the United States Pharmacopeial Convention’s licence agreement.

They are available free after registering to access.

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