Subsequent to a report, which revealed that people in care homes were more prone to be administered the wrong drugs compared to others in the community, the Health Department in January released a warning.

The study pointed out that a pharmacist should be accountable towards the safe operating of the system, on the whole.

Nick Barber, Professor of the practice of pharmacy at London University found that on any normal day, seven out of 10 patients suffered a minimum of one mistake in the administration of correct medicines. He thinks that the number is "unacceptably high".

However, when Prof. Barber's suggestion was adopted, it was seen that the medication blunders plunged by 91%. This was revealed by a four-month trial plan that was carried out in a care home in Hanwell, west London.

The mistakes took place when there was some change in the prescription and a nurse at a home failed to take note of it, said Dr. Graham Stretch, the pharmacist who administered the trial. Since care home inhabitants are very weak, they depend on the nurses to provide them with the right medication, he explained.

A Department of Health Spokesman said, "This study provides evidence for one potential solution to the problems highlighted in the alert. Commissioners would be well advised to note the findings of this study when developing services for local patients".