Month: November 2026

#MedSafetyWeek runs from 2nd to 8th November 2026, and this year’s theme is “Side effects: don’t ignore them, report them”. The campaign is coordinated by Uppsala Monitoring Centre and is relevant to anyone training to become a prescriber.

 

Knowing how to prescribe safely

Prescribing safely includes knowing what to do when a patient has a problem after starting a medicine. Uppsala Monitoring Centre estimates that fewer than 10% of side effects are reported. People often hold back because the reaction seems mild or well known, because they assume someone else has already reported it, or because they aren’t sure the medicine caused it. Many simply don’t know how or where to report, which is why it helps to learn the process during your studies.

It also helps to know that anyone can submit a Yellow Card, so you don’t need to wait until you qualify. Adverse drug reactions come up in the PSA, in OSCEs and in teaching on the ward, and once you are working you will be the person a patient turns to when they think a new symptom might be linked to their medicine.

 

Reporting is easier than you might think

You can report through the Yellow Card website or the app. If you already have an NHS login, you can use it to sign in or link it to an existing Yellow Card account. The app also lets you build a watch list of medicines, so you get news and alerts from the MHRA about the ones you care about.

You can report problems with medicines, vaccines, blood products and e-cigarettes, and with medical devices including software, apps and artificial intelligence. That last one is worth remembering as more of the tools you use on placement become digital.

 

The BPSA MHRA Yellow Card scheme assessment

Our free MHRA Yellow Card scheme assessment was developed in collaboration with the MHRA, and all of the material has been written and reviewed by MHRA content specialists.

It takes about an hour across two modules and uses the same technology and layout as the Prescribing Safety Assessment, which means it will feel familiar if you’ve done any PSA prep on the portal.

The module is CPD accredited by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, valid until July 2028, and completing both modules earns you 1 CPD point.

Log in to the BPS Assessment portal to start the Yellow Card scheme assessment, and have a look through our other free resources while you’re there.

 

Further resources

Uppsala Monitoring Centre coordinates #MedSafetyWeek and provides free campaign materials for anyone who wants to take part. 

#MedSafetyWeek campaign: who-umc.org/medsafetyweek