Healthcare professionals who prescribe insulin are responsible for ensuring patients have an information booklet and insulin passport, and for assisting them in completing the passport. Pharmacy teams can support patients by checking they have an insulin passport, that its contents are current, and that patients know how to describe their insulin products.

Pharmacy teams should use every opportunity to provide patients with adequate information about insulin therapy, clarify their understanding of the dose of insulin to administer and the potential risks associated with insulin, such as hypoglycaemia and injection site reactions. Patients should also be advised to have their insulin passport with them whenever they attend consultations with another healthcare professional, when requesting a prescription or having one dispensed, or when admitted to hospital.

With an increasing number of insulin products containing >100 units/ml of insulin, the European Medicines Agency issued guidance in 2015 on preventing medication errors with high-
strength insulins. The guidance urged pharmacists to ensure patients and carers can read the strength of the insulin and the dose counter of the pen device before dispensing. Pharmacists should also check that patients have received training on insulin/device use.