Leaving hospital? What to know about your medicines

When you are ready to be discharged from hospital, the hospital staff will review the medicines that you have been taking while in hospital and tell you which medicines you should take when you return home.

What you should do

If any changes have been made to the medicines you are taking when you leave hospital you should:

  • make sure that you update your medicines list
  • make sure that you tell your regular healthcare professionals (GP, community pharmacist and any specialist you are seeing) about the changes to your medicines

Medicines you brought in with you

If you brought medicines with you into hospital then these medicines will be returned to you when you leave, if they are still required. If medicines you brought in are no longer suitable for use, hospital staff may dispose of your unwanted medicines with your consent.

Medicines you've been prescribed whilst in hospital

If you require new medicines when you leave hospital then these medicines may be provided for you by the hospital, or you may be given a prescription which you can fill at your local pharmacy. See accessing medicines you need for more information.