The supply and administration of medicines is an area of practice in which a number of healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals) are involved. Prescribing is a relatively new role which many of these healthcare professionals have adopted. Medication Safety focuses on promoting safety in the delivery of medicines. Chapters explore the various stages in the medication process including safety in prescribing, dispensing and administering drugs. Adverse reactions, parenteral administration, dosage calculations, safety with controlled drugs, and reporting errors and near misses are all addressed in evidence-based contributions from a highly experienced team of contributors. This text is essential reading for all healthcare professionals involved in the delivery of medicines to patients.

'Medical students should read this as an excellent introduction about patient safety and medication issues … Very appropriate with the current focus on prescribing and errors … the chapters in general [are] easy to read while being well referenced if the reader [wants] more in-depth information. … A very useful book for the non-medical prescriber that also has a place on the reading list for medical students.' BMA Medical Book Awards reviewer

Molly Courtenay is a Professor at the School of Health and Social Care, Reading University, UK. Matt Griffiths is Senior Nurse, Medicines Management, University Hospitals of Leicester and Visiting Professor of Prescribing and Medicines Management, School of Health, University of Northampton, UK.