The One-Page Health Note That Makes Going Away Easier

Going away comes with a familiar list: keys, bins, plants, pet food, the neighbour who kindly takes in parcels. Medicine details often sit at the bottom of that list, or nowhere at all. That is understandable. Most of us know our own tablets so well that it is easy to forget someone else will be stepping into our home with none of that background knowledge.

A housesitter is not there to act as a clinician. They are there to keep things running, notice problems, and know who to call. A short, accurate medicine note does that job far better than a hurried chat at the front door. Think one page, plain English, and only the details that genuinely help.

Start with what your housesitter actually needs

If someone is simply collecting post and watering the plants, their medicine brief can be brief too. They may only need to know where medicines are kept, who to contact if something looks wrong, and when to call for help. If they are also looking after a family member or a pet, the note needs more detail, and it should only cover tasks you have agreed and they feel confident doing. A housesitter should never be left to guess about a dose, a timing, or whether a medicine is still current.

Keep the note factual and dated. Write it as if you are handing over a small, important piece of household information, not writing a medical history. The aim is calm clarity: what is taken, where it lives, who to ask, and what not to touch.

The one-page medicine brief

At the top, put your name, the date, and a mobile number where you can be reached. Then add an emergency contact who knows you and your medicines, if possible. After that, include:

• GP surgery name, address and phone number.
• Pharmacy name, address and phone number, plus opening hours if they differ from the usual nine-to-five.
• Regular medicines: name, strength, form, dose, time, and where they are kept. A current repeat slip or pharmacy medication record can help you get this right, but check it against the labels on the boxes.
• Allergies or previous reactions, and what happened. For example, a rash, swelling, or stomach upset. Keep it simple and factual.
• Emergency guidance: when to call NHS 111, when to call 999, and whether there is a written allergy or care plan to follow.
• If someone in the home needs help with medicines: what the housesitter can and cannot do, who else is involved, and who to call first.
• If there are pets: a separate section with vet details, pet medicines, feeding instructions, and a clear note that pet medicines are not kept with human medicines.

You do not need to explain your entire medical history. Share only what is needed to keep things safe while you are away. That is kinder to your housesitter and safer for you.

Use the repeat slip, but do not treat it as the whole story

A pharmacy repeat slip is useful because it lists medicines you can reorder. It is not always a complete picture of what you take, how much you take, or what has changed recently. Labels can carry different instructions after a dose change, and a new brand may look unfamiliar. Check the slip against the actual boxes and the pharmacy medication record, then write the final version in your own words.

Keep a copy of the repeat slip or medication record in a sealed envelope marked clearly, for example: Medicine information — please read if needed. Do not leave the original slip loose on the kitchen table where a visitor or tradesperson can see it. If your housesitter needs to order a repeat, tell them to speak to the pharmacy rather than hand over your NHS App login details. Your pharmacy team can explain their own process for repeat requests, and many can help by phone or online.

What to lock away

Prescription medicines should be kept out of sight and, where possible, in a locked cupboard or lockbox. That matters even more if children or pets will be in the house. Keep medicines in their original packaging so the label and batch details stay with them. Do not decant a week's worth into an unlabelled tub just because it looks tidier.

Over-the-counter painkillers, cough medicines and antihistamines are worth thinking about too. They are familiar, but they are still medicines. If there is anything that could be harmful in quantity, or anything you would not want a child or pet to reach, lock it away. Keep pet medicines completely separate from human medicines. Sharps and needles need a proper sharps bin, not a kitchen drawer.

While you are at it, take expired or unwanted medicines back to a pharmacy for safe disposal. Do not put them in the bin or flush them. Your pharmacy team can advise on the local arrangements.

What a housesitter should never adjust

This is the part to say out loud during the handover. A housesitter should never change a dose, timing, brand, or route of a medicine. They should not stop or start a medicine, crush or split a tablet, or swap one product for another because it looks similar. They should not share medicines between people, give human medicines to pets, or give pet medicines to humans. If a dose is missed, they should follow the label or ring the pharmacy for advice rather than double up on the next dose.

If a medicine looks different from the photo or description, they should not assume it is fine. They should check with the pharmacy. If someone becomes unwell, the usual UK advice applies: use NHS 111 online or call 111 for urgent but non-emergency help, and call 999 for chest pain, breathing difficulty, severe allergic reaction, or another emergency. A housesitter does not need to diagnose anything. They need to know when to pick up the phone.

A five-minute handover chat

Walk through the note together. Show them where medicines are kept, but do not ask them to memorise the cupboard. Point out the pharmacy phone number and the GP surgery details. If they are helping someone with a dosette box or blister pack, explain clearly what they can do and what they must leave alone. Ask them to repeat back the key points, not to test them, but to make sure the note makes sense.

Leave the note in an agreed place, and tell them they can photograph it for their own reference if that helps. Keep the conversation calm. The goal is not to turn your housesitter into a pharmacist. It is to leave a clear trail so they never have to guess.

The copy-and-paste checklist

Before you go:

• One-page medicine note, dated and checked.
• Regular medicines list matched to the labels.
• Allergies and previous reactions written down.
• GP surgery and pharmacy details, including opening hours.
• Emergency contacts, plus clear guidance on NHS 111 and 999.
• Copy of the repeat slip or medication record in a sealed envelope.
• Locked cupboard or lockbox for medicines.
• Pet medicines kept separately, with vet details.
• Sharps stored safely.
• Expired medicines returned to a pharmacy.
• Handover chat completed.
• If someone needs care, consent, training and carer contacts agreed.

A housesitter's medicine brief does not need to be long. It needs to be accurate, easy to find, and honest about what is not their job. One page, one calm conversation, and one locked cupboard can make going away feel a good deal lighter.