Safety and errors
This site explains the concepts and terminology behind medication dosing — it never publishes actual doses, schedules or amounts, because dosing is individual and determined by a qualified professional. Nothing on this page replaces the advice of your prescriber or pharmacist.
This category groups together concepts that help a reader understand how errors can occur in the process of taking or prescribing medication, what those errors are called, and why recognising them matters for safe use.
Concepts in this category
- What a medication error is — a look at how errors are defined in the context of prescribing, dispensing and administration, and why the definition matters for safety
Why these concepts matter
- Understanding what counts as a medication error helps a reader follow a conversation with a prescriber or pharmacist without confusion
- Knowing the terminology makes it easier to read a patient information leaflet critically and spot instructions worth clarifying
- Recognising that errors can happen at several stages — prescribing, dispensing, administration — helps a reader ask more focused questions
- Familiarity with these concepts supports a reader in reporting concerns through the right channel rather than guessing
- Awareness that dosing is individual reinforces why changes should never be made without professional guidance
Where to get an answer about your own case
- Your prescriber is the first point of contact for any question about your specific medicine or schedule
- A pharmacist can clarify instructions, explain what a term on the label means, and advise on what to do if something has gone wrong
- The patient information leaflet supplied with the medicine contains approved guidance written for that product
- A dose must never be started, stopped, changed or self-corrected without professional advice — including after a missed or doubled dose
- If you suspect a serious error or are concerned about a potential overdose, contact your local poison-control centre or emergency services immediately
Pages in this Category
- What a medication error is
A plain-language explanation of what a medication error is, why the concept matters for patient safety, and how errors differ from side effects or adverse reactions.
- What a medication reconciliation is
An explanation of what a medication reconciliation is, why it happens, and who resolves any dosing questions it raises.
- What an adverse reaction is
A plain-language explanation of what an adverse drug reaction means, why the concept exists, and how it differs from a side effect or allergy.
- What polypharmacy means
An explanation of what polypharmacy means, why managing multiple medicines creates complexity, and why professional oversight is always needed.