Case Study - Why do I need Controlled Room Temperature Cabinets?
Storing and organising medication effectively is incredibly important. It’s vital that medications are not only kept in a secure location, but that they are stored at the correct temperature. This is because if they are stored outside the recommended temperature detailed on the packaging, they can degrade rapidly.
QED’s Controlled Room Temperature Cabinets (CRTs) are specifically designed for precise temperature management for medications that need to be stored at room temperature (15˚c to 25˚c).
A CRT cabinet is the ideal solution to ensure that healthcare providers are complying with the medication manufacturer’s recommendations. These units eliminate fluctuations in the room temperature that could be caused by heatwaves or faulty air-conditioning.
Controlled Room Temperature Cabinets can also provide details of the minimum and maximum temperatures inside the cabinet, so that a detailed audit trail can be maintained.
In this blog, we discuss a client who recently approached us with a medication storage issue, and how our Controlled Room Temperature Cabinets provided the ideal solution.
Controlled Room Temperature Cabinets – a case study
QED Scientific was approached by a leading provider of accommodation, support, and education for autistic people.
Each of the 35 residents on the scheme lives in a self-contained apartment, with support staff on hand to provide assistance with daily living.
The organisation was reviewing its medication storage policy. Their current storage solution - lockable wooden medicine cabinets - did not meet the best practice requirements of the Care Quality Commission. This was because the cabinets were not secure, and the storage temperature could not be regulated.
What was our solution?
The organisation’s lead practitioner for health and safety approached QED Scientific. We suggested our Controlled Room Storage Cabinets as the perfect solution.
Controlled Room Temperature Cabinets come in a range of sizes to meet a variety of needs. The smallest unit, 30 litres volume, was the ideal replacement for the wooden cabinets.
Keeping medication secure
An added complication was the need to ensure that medication could be held securely. Access was required by multiple members of the support team working with each resident. At the same time, it was important to maintain safe and secure storage, limiting access for residents.
After a detailed liaison with the Health and Safety specialist, support staff and the site maintenance team, it was decided that the units should be located in storage cupboards in the hallway of each apartment.
The site maintenance team constructed suitable shelving and arranged the installation of the required 13 amp electrical sockets.
QED were commissioned to provide each Controlled Room Temperature Cabinet unit with a uniquely keyed lock. Only support staff holding the specific key can access the CRT and its contents, meaning that medication provision is appropriately supervised.
To ensure that multiple teams can gain access in an emergency, the individual locks are suited, and master keys are held centrally.
Bespoke controlled room temperature cabinets
QED Scientific can provide bespoke solutions to medication storage issues. In this case, because the residents were autistic, it was quickly identified that the standard audible alarms provided on our CRT units were not appropriate for this situation. Therefore, as a further adaption, each alarm was disabled.
The QED team attended site to oversee the installation of the units and make final adjustments to the enhanced locks.
How our Controlled Room Temperature cabinets benefited this organisation
The QED Controlled Room Temperature units have provided the ideal solution for this client.
Each of the 35 residents on the site has a CRT unit in their apartment. All medication is now stored securely, and staff have the peace of mind of knowing that the correct storage temperature is maintained.
In the event of inspection of the scheme by the Care Quality Commission, the organisation can now prove that appropriate levels of security and temperature management are in place.
Speak to us today about your medication storage needs
If you are experiencing similar issues to this organisation, don’t hesitate to get in touch. QED Scientific can provide a range of bespoke medication storage solutions to meet a variety of needs.
You can either give us a call on 01663 735494 or send us a message using our online contact form, and a member of our team will be in touch with a well-informed response as soon as possible.
