Health · England
Checking your medicines
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Medicines can help with health problems.
You can ask questions about your medicines.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist about a medicine review.
The review checks whether your medicines are right for you.
Bring a list of all medicines and supplements you use.
Tell staff about any allergies.
Ask what each medicine is for.
Tell staff if it causes problems or is difficult to take.
Ask how staff will check whether treatment helps.
Ask about tests or other monitoring you need.
STOMP and STAMP support the right use of medicines.
They do not mean stopping medicines yourself.
Ask for instructions you understand.
Agree who will help and who to contact with questions.
Ask your pharmacist about help with packaging or reminders.
Different people need different support.
Agree when your next review will happen.
Do not stop or change medicines without clinical advice.
What you can do next
Ask your GP practice, prescriber or pharmacist.
Explain what you want to understand or change.
Read NHS advice about medicine reviews and support Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- STOMP and STAMP information Web page
Includes information and resources for people and families.
- Practical medicine support Web page
NHS advice about safe support and reviews.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Understanding and reviewing your medicines
Ask what medicines are for, whether they help and how to manage them safely.
Children and adults · England · Changes need individual clinical advice
Ask for a review
Speak to your GP practice, prescriber or pharmacist if you have questions about medicines. Ask whether a structured medication review would help, especially when several medicines are used. A review is a conversation about the person’s health and priorities, not simply a check that prescriptions have been renewed.
Bring the full picture
Prepare a list of prescribed medicines, medicines bought without a prescription, supplements and allergies. Explain what is actually taken and any difficulty with timing, swallowing, packaging or remembering. Include feeding-tube instructions where relevant. Say what changes you have noticed and which effects matter to the person. Bring questions in a format you can use.
Understand each medicine
Ask what each medicine is intended to treat, how you will know it helps, what unwanted effects to look for and when it should be reviewed. Check who arranges monitoring, such as blood tests when required. Ask the team to consider how medicines interact and whether practical support or other treatment could help.
What STOMP and STAMP mean
STOMP is an NHS programme addressing inappropriate psychotropic prescribing for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. STAMP focuses on appropriate treatment and medication for children and young people. These programmes support medicines being used for the right reasons with proper review. They are not instructions to stop needed treatment or change doses yourself.
Make an agreed support plan
Ask for clear, accessible instructions and a named contact for questions. A pharmacist can advise about suitable reminders or packaging; one approach will not suit everyone. Supporters should understand the agreed tasks and respect confidentiality. For someone unable to make a particular decision, follow the appropriate legal process rather than assuming a relative can decide.
Respond to problems safely
Report suspected side effects or treatment concerns to the prescriber or pharmacist promptly. Ask what to do about missed doses, supply problems or difficulty taking a medicine; the answer depends on the medicine and situation. Only make changes agreed with the responsible clinician. Keep the updated medicine list and review date available to relevant services.
Words you could use
“Please explain what each medicine is for, whether it is helping, what monitoring is needed and when we should review it.”
More useful links
- STOMP and STAMP information Web page
Includes information and resources for people and families.
- Practical medicine support Web page
NHS advice about safe support and reviews.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 27 October 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- NHS: medicines and carers Web page
Reviews, practical help, medicine reminders and confidentiality.
- NICE NG5: medicines optimisation Web page
Person-centred review of medicines, effects, concerns and monitoring.
- NHS England: STOMP and STAMP Web page
Appropriate prescribing, accessible information and regular review.