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2 United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. Standards for the Administration of Medicines. London. UKCC, 1992.

3 Semple J et al. The effects of self-administration and reuse of patients' own drugs on a hospital pharmacy. Pharmaceutical J 1995; 255: 124-6.

4 Miles S, Bourns I. Resource implications of using patients own drugs at discharge from hospital. Pharmaceutical J 1995; 254: 405-7.

5 Sutherland K et al. Self administration. Nursing Times 1995; 91: 28- 33.

6 Maguire F. Prescription for change. Health Service J 1997. 107 (5546): 34-35.

Neil Reynolds is senior pharmacist, hepatology and gastroenterology, Royal Free Hospital trust.