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Sweets, newspapers and analgesics: patients' purchases from hospital shops

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

David Somerfield*
Affiliation:
Assessment and Training, 1 Colston Fort, Montague Place, Kingsdown, Bristol BS6 5UB
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Abstract

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Aims and method

The study was undertaken to examine over the counter drug sales from hospital shops. One hundred hospital shops were sent a questionnaire asking for details of drugs sold and any policy to prevent sales to patients.

Results

Seventy-three shops replied, 20 of which sold medication. Most had policies which would allow sales to patients. Three shops had sold medication which was subsequently used for self-poisoning by in-patients.

Clinical implications

Hospital managers and clinicians should ensure hospital shops have effective policies to prevent medication sales to patients.

Type
Original papers
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

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