A4 Community pharmacy

Question 1

describe funding of community pharmacies

Answer 1

• contracted with NHS
• NHS pays community pharmacies for services they are contracted to carry out
• private businesses
• need to claim for some payments
• payments come from NHS either directly or indirectly eg. via ICB or PCN

Question 2

what is an ICB?

Answer 2

integrated care board

Question 3

what is a PCN?

Answer 3

primary care network

Question 4

how are drug costs paid?

Answer 4

• according to Drug Tariff
• set price list published every month
• sets out reimbursement that pharmacies can expect from the NHS as part of their contract work

Question 5

what is a retained margin? what does it encourage?

Answer 5

• the reimbursement rates that community pharmacies get from the NHS for prescription meds set out in the Drug Tariff
• retained margin is any difference between price the drug was bought from wholesaler and the price in Drug Tariff (profit)
• encourages cost-effective purchasing

Question 6

role of pharmacists in community pharmacy

Answer 6

• responsible pharmacist
• name on wall
• responsible for everything on their watch during their shift

Question 7

role of technicians in community pharmacy

Answer 7

• support pharmacist in the dispensing process
• some can accuracy check prescriptions
• some can provide other services

Question 8

role of dispensing assistants in community pharmacy

Answer 8

• support pharmacist and technician
• prescription processing
• stock management
• liaise with customers and suppliers
• some can accuracy check prescriptions

Question 9

role of medicines counter assistant in community pharmacy

Answer 9

• may be known as pharmacy assistant
• first contact with patient
• can provide advice or recommend medication if appropriate
• know when to refer a patient
• support dispensary staff
• hand out dispensed prescription if appropriate

Question 10

what is an SOP?

Answer 10

• standard operating procedure
• describes a process and must be followed to ensure quality and safety
• defines staff roles and responsibilities
• should be signed by staff to confirm they’ve read
• regularly reviewed

Question 11

describe the dispensary in a community pharmacy

Answer 11

• all POMs here
• where all prescriptions are processed and stock is kept

Question 12

describe the medicines counter in a community pharmacy

Answer 12

• P medicines visible but behind counter
• P medicines not available for self selection
• patients can be given advice
• till for payments

Question 13

describe the general shop area in a community pharmacy

Answer 13

• GSL medicines and other products sold by the pharmacy are here

Question 14

describe the consultation room in a community pharmacy

Answer 14

• appointments for travel vaccines
• private chat
• symptom check
• used for confidentiality
• for giving advice when patient doesn’t want to be overheard

Question 15

describe essential services in a community pharmacy

Answer 15

• must provide these in line with the NHS contract
• procedures in place for these services

examples
- dispensing prescriptions
- discharge medicines service
- disposal of unwanted medicines
- healthy living
- health promotion
- repeat dispensing

Question 16

describe advanced services in a community pharmacy

Answer 16

• can choose to provide these
• must meet requirements for provision
• paid to provide these
• valuable funding opportunity

examples
- Pharmacy first
- smoking cessation
- flu vaccination
- Hepatitis C testing
- hypertension case finding

Question 17

describe locally commissioned services in a community pharmacy

Answer 17

• depends on the local area
• have to sign up and meet criteria to provide these

examples
- emergency hormonal contraception
- supervised consumption
- emergency supply
- minor ailments service
- needle and syringe programmes