If a prescription is written in Welsh and you cannot understand it, what is the most appropriate course of action?

• A. Dispense and translate later.
• B. Ask a Welsh-speaking colleague to translate.
• C. Return prescription to prescriber.
• D. Put patient safety first and do not dispense; find the best possible solution to help the patient.

Answer: (D)

When you can’t understand a prescription written in Welsh, patient safety must guide your actions. Misinterpreting drug name, strength, dose, instructions, or warnings can lead to wrong treatment or harmful dosing, so you should not dispense until you have clear, verified information. The best approach is to pause dispensing and seek clarification in a safe way—contact the prescriber for confirmation or arrange an approved translation service—so every detail is understood before supplying the medicine. While involving a Welsh-speaking colleague can help with translation, the priority is obtaining reliable confirmation of all prescription details. Dispensing without understanding or delaying only for informal translation risks harm, and returning the prescription for clarification is part of the process but should culminate in dispensing only after the details are verified. Put simply: halt dispensing, obtain a clear, accurate understanding, and then proceed with the safest possible solution for the patient.