Janet is 84 years old. She has type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and recently fell out of bed and wounded her thigh. She developed a fever and was admitted to hospital, where her leg was treated with antibiotics. The medical team also identified a heart arrhythmia. A week later, Janet was discharged from hospital. Her prescription included her usual five medications for diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as a new prescription for the heart arrhythmia and antibiotics for her leg. The day after Janet is discharged, her husband Ian visits the pharmacy to buy bandages for her leg. He explains Janet's situation and tells you that he has been advised to get some bandages to last over the weekend until the district nurse comes on Monday.  

• Do you feel confident recommending dressings for Janet's leg? Discuss how you might identify the most appropriate dressing
• What thoughts would you have regarding Janet's hospital admission and discharge that would enable you to help Janet and, at this stage, her husband?
• What would you ask Ian about Janet's medication on this occasion?
• How could you help Janet further during the following week?
• Do you have a system in your pharmacy for finding out about Janet's new medication? If so, what are the advantages of this for the pharmacy and for Janet?