Pharmacy teams may deal with vulnerable residents in care homes, so an awareness of safeguarding issues is required.

Safeguarding means protecting people's health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. Safeguarding for users of care home services will include:

• Protecting the rights of residents to live in safety, free from neglect and abuse
• People and organisations working together to prevent the risk of abuse or neglect and stop it happening
• Making sure the wellbeing of residents is being promoted, taking their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs into consideration.

Pharmacy teams should be aware of local arrangements for notifying suspected or confirmed medicines-related safeguarding incidents, as each care home should have a clear process in place for these. Medicines-related safeguarding incidents in care homes could include excessive use of sedatives, use of antipsychotic medicines to control behaviour, or residents missing medicines frequently without being reviewed appropriately.