ARC keeps a running balance for every medicine the home holds. The Controlled drugs and Stock tabs under Medication are where you read it, check it and record medicine leaving the home.

The paper controlled drugs book is the home's legal register. ARC's register is a copy for checking, and every controlled-drugs screen says so. Keep writing entries in the paper book.

The controlled drugs register

Controlled drugs lists each controlled drug the home holds, with its balance and when it was last checked. Drugs closed in the last 90 days are under their own heading. Select one to open its register: a line for every receipt, dose, return and destruction, with the date and time, quantity in or out, running balance, who recorded it, who witnessed it and the batch.

A witness who has not yet confirmed shows Witness to confirm. At the top of the tab, Waiting to be confirmed lists confirmations still outstanding — a manager or deputy sees all of them; anyone else sees ones they recorded or were named on — and flags any that are overdue. The named witness chooses Confirm.

An entry recorded after the event is placed at the time it happened, with a note showing the balance when it was recorded. Use Print for a paper copy.

Check the balance

On a drug's register, choose Check the balance, count what is there, and enter it under How many did you count?. ARC then tells you whether it matches. Liquids match within 5% or 2 ml; anything else must match exactly. If it does not match, count again with someone else. In a live home the difference goes to a manager to review.

Counting medicine needs in-date medication training. If yours is not in date, ARC shows a message saying so and does not save the count.

Count all your stock

On Stock, choose Count stock to count every medicine at once. The count is blind: ARC shows what it expected only after you save. Leave a medicine blank to skip it. Each mismatch in a live home becomes a medication error. Like checking a balance, this needs in-date medication training.

Stock also shows what is Running low — fewer than 7 days of regular doses left; ARC does not order medicines — and what is Out with others.

Medicine leaving the home

On a young person's medication record, each medicine has:

Return to pharmacy and Destroy — you name the pharmacy or how it was destroyed, and choose a witness. This applies to any medicine, not only controlled drugs.
Hand out a supply — for a school, parent or carer taking medicine away. You name who is taking it and where. A controlled drug needs a witness.
Count back in — when it comes back. A controlled drug needs a witness here too.

Your witness confirms on their own login; ARC expects it within the hour, after which it shows as overdue but can still be confirmed. Returning, destroying, handing out, counting back in and counting stock all need in-date medication training.