4) Retail Pharmacy Business, Responsible Pharmacist and Supervision

Question 1

What is a pharmacy business?

Answer 1

Somewhere where medicinal products should be sold or supplied by retail unless they’re subject to some exemption.

Question 2

What is a retail pharmacy business?

Answer 2

The business that operates from a registered pharmacy

Question 3

Where is the law relating to the operation of the activities of this business contained?

Answer 3

In the Medicines Act 1968 and the Human Medicines Regulation 2012

Question 4

What do we mean by retail sale?

Answer 4

The sale of a substance to a person who buys it other than to sell it, supply it, administer it or cause it to be administered in the course of a business

Question 5

What do we mean by retail supply?

Answer 5

• Supply otherwise than a retail sale eg. supply against an NHS prescription?
• eg the supply of a P or POM medicine against an NHS prescription is not a retail sale?
• Its a supply against a prescription but such a supply is regarded as being made in circumstances corresponding to retail sale so it looks like smth that is retail sale but in fact is a retail supply

Question 6

Who can own a retail pharmacy business?

Answer 6

• Pharmacists
• Partnership of pharmacists
• A corporate or a representative of a pharmacist

Question 7

Hoe foes the ownership between partnership of pharmacists differ in Wales, Ireland and Scotland

Answer 7

• In Wales and Ireland, all partners must be a pharmacist if its a partnership of pharmacists that are running the retail pharmacy business
• In Scotland, it only has to be one partner who runs the pharmacy

Question 8

Body corporate?

Answer 8

Can be a company eg. large chains like Boots and Lloyds

• the business of keeping, preparing and dispensing P and POM medicines must be under the management of a superintendent pharmacist
• The responsible pharmacists at each premises is subject to the directions of the superintendent pharmacist so different to partnership and pharmacist

Question 9

What would be the case or the representative of a pharmacist?

Answer 9

1) there’s a case that there’s a death of. a pharmacist
2) the bankruptcy of a pharmacist
3) or if a pharmacist is deemed mentally unfit
- Now the representative is the executor of a deeased pharmacist and they are also trustee in bankruptcy and they are receiver of a mantally unfit pharmacist
- the business can be run for five years following the death of a pharmacist, three years in the other circumstances but the pharmacy must still have a responsible pharmacist

Question 10

So how does the retail pharmacy business operate?

Answer 10

• They need to be registered with the GPhC
• That register is compiled? annually i. a fee that has to be paid
• The premises are required to meet standards laid down by the regulator and also the premises must have a responsible pharmacist in charge

Question 11

GPhC have brought out guidance specifically for..

Answer 11

responsible pharmacists and describing the guidance around what it means and what needs to be adhered

• basically a responsible pharmacist must ensure the secure and safe and effective running of the pharmacy where medicines are concerned
• They have to display a notice that meets the legal requirement
• They have to complete a pharmacy record that again meets the requirement and they must establish and maintain the pharmacy procedures

Question 12

What happens if there is more than one pharmacist appointed to the pharmacy at any one time?

Answer 12

Only one can be designated the responsible pharmacist

Question 13

What if there is an overlap in shifts?

Answer 13

One pharmacist needs to stop being the responsible pharmacist before another can take on that role

Question 14

Can responsible pharmacists be responsible for more than one premises at one time?

Answer 14

no

Question 15

Every time a pharmacist becomes the responsible pharmacist they need to…

Answer 15

…put up that notice, on that notice, they need to have their name, their GPhC registration number and a statement to claim that you are now in fact in charge of that pharmacy at that time

Question 16

Pharmacy records?

Answer 16

Can be paper based or electronic

• needs to include name of pharmacist that’s becoming the responsible pharmacist
• their registration number
• the date and time the responsible pharmacist took up the post
• the date and time when they ceased to be the responsible pharmacist

Question 17

What if that responsible pharmacist is absent from a premises?

Answer 17

they must record the date and time of the absence and the time they came back

Question 18

Who must keep the record for five years?

Answer 18

The owner or the superintendent, must be available at the pharmacy at which it relates to

Question 19

What is the responsible pharmacist also accountable for?

Answer 19

pharmacy procedures

• this includes arrangements to secure that medicinal products are ordered, stored, prepared, sold by retail, supplied in circumstances corresponding to retail, delivered and disposed of in a safe and effective manner
• so really the whole process around the medicines is the responsibility of that responsible pharmacist
• they also have a responsibility to maintain the records about all of these activities
• they are responsible for staff who aren’t the pharmacist in the circumstances where they give advice about medicinal products, they have the responsibility to identify members of staff who are competent to perform specified tasks related to the pharmacy business so that they can identify who can do what within the pharmacy and have the required qualifications
• also must ensure there are arrangements in place that can be applied during an absence of a responsible pharmacist
• must also need to be aware of the steps needed to be taken when there’s change in responsible pharmacist in the premises
• need to know about the procedure which is to to be followed if there is a complaint made about the pharmacy business
• procedure if an instant occurs which may indicate that the pharmacy business is not running in a safe and effective manner
• about the manner in which changes to the pharmacy procedures are to be notified to staff

Question 20

How long can a pharmacist be absent for?

Answer 20

Max 2hrs in any one day ie from midnight to midnight

Question 21

When can they only be absent?

Answer 21

• if the pharmacy can continue to run safely and effectively
• remain contactable at all times
• they are also to return within reasonable promptness back to the pharmacy

Question 22

Are there any restrictions as to why pharmacists may be absent?

Answer 22

no, but possible reasons include:

• meeting with local GPs
• undertaking visits with patients at their homes?
• participate in continuing professional development for training purposes maybe

Question 23

The following activities can take place in the absence of a pharmacist:

Answer 23

• sale of gsl eg otc

- staff can take in prescription

Question 24

Activities that can’t take in the absence of a responsible pharmacist unless another pharmacist is present?

Answer 24

• supply of GSL meds against a prescription
• sale of a P medicine
• handing out of bagged and checked meds to patients or delivery drivers

Question 25

LOOK&raquo_space;>

Answer 25

LOOK AT GUIDANCE FROM GPHC

Question 26

How to apply to GPhC?

Answer 26

• applications to be registered have to be made in writing and there’s an annual fee that is payable to the GPhC
• GPhC set standards for these pharmacies (available on GPhC website)

Question 27

GPhC inspectorate visits, what do they inspect?

Answer 27

they inspect against these standards and cover these five principles:
- governance thats taking place in the pharmacy
- staff competence
- environment
- service delivery
- equipment and facilities
so they ensure everything is up to standard and that safe and effective sale and supply of meds can take place within that premises

Question 28

Learn at end of video

Answer 28

hospital pharmacies don’t need to be registered to GPhC i don’t think, but if they are (bc pharmacist wants to give p meds outside of hospital ie inpatient etc) then need to be