Responsible Pharmacist Flashcards
What pieces of legislation tie in with this theme?
- Medicines Act 1968 (as amended by the Health Act 2006)
- Medicines (Pharmacies) (Responsible Pharmacist) Regulations 2008
What is the responsible pharmacist?
- In order to lawfully conduct a retail pharmacy business, a registered
pharmacist must be in charge of the registered pharmacy as the responsible pharmacist.
What is the role of the responsible pharmacist?
- Secure the safe and effective running of the pharmacy
- Display a notice with your name, registration number and the fact
that you are in charge of the pharmacy at that time - Complete the pharmacy record
- Establish, maintain and keeping under review pharmacy procedures
for safe working
Can the responsible pharmacist run more than one pharmacy at once? why?
- You can only be the Responsible Pharmacist in charge of one
pharmacy at any given time. - If you believe a pharmacy is not safe or patients are at risk then
you’ll need to take steps to secure the safe and effective running of
the pharmacy.
What are the main 3 questions to ask yourself as the responsible pharmacist?
*Have you displayed the notice with your details?
* Have you completed the pharmacy record?
*Are you intending to be absent from the pharmacy for up to two hours?
What are the details of displaying a notice?
- Displaying a notice is a requirement
- Information must include:
- Your name
- Your GPhC registration number
- The fact you are in charge of the pharmacy at the time.
What is the pharmacy record
- Audit trail of who was accountable for the safe and effective running
of the pharmacy - Allows you to find out the Responsible Pharmacist on any given date
and at any time - The record must be accurate and made at the time by the
Responsible Pharmacist. - The record should also accurately record any absence.
What details must be recorded in the pharmacy record?
- The Responsible Pharmacist’s name
- The Responsible Pharmacist’s registration number
- The date and time at which the pharmacist became the Responsible
Pharmacist - The date and time at which the Responsible Pharmacist stopped being the
Responsible Pharmacist - If you are absent from the premises:
- The date of absence
- The time at which you leave the pharmacy
- The time at which you come back
How long does the pharmacy record get kept for and in what forms?
must keep the
pharmacy record for a period of FIVE years.
* The record must be available at the pharmacy to which it relates.
* The Pharmacy Record may be kept in the following formats:
* In writing
* Electronically
* Or in both forms
* If the record is kept electronically it needs to be backed up, kept on the
pharmacy premises, and available for GPhC inspection if required.
How long can the responsible pharmacist be absent for?
- The Responsible Pharmacist may be absent for up to a maximum
period of two hours during the pharmacy’s business hours
between midnight and midnight. - If there is more than one Responsible Pharmacist in charge of the
pharmacy during the pharmacy’s business hours, the total period of
absence for all the Responsible Pharmacists must not exceed two
hours. - Do not remove the notice if you intend to remain the Responsible
Pharmacist during your absence
What are the requirements for being absent?
- Only be absent if the pharmacy can continue to run safely and
effectively - Remain contactable with the pharmacy staff
- Be able to return to the pharmacy with reasonable promptness
What do you need to include when recording your absence?
- In the pharmacy record note the following if you are absent from the
premises: - The date of absence
- The time at which you leave the pharmacy
- The time at which you come back
What activities require the responsible pharmacist present?
- Professional check (clinical and legal check) of a prescription
- Sale/Supply of pharmacy medicines
- Sale/Supply of prescription-only medicines (e.g. handing dispensed
medicines to patient, patient representative or a delivery person) - Supply of medicines under a patient group direction (PGD)
- Wholesale of medicines
- Emergency Supply of a medicine(s) at the request of a patient or
healthcare professional
What activities require the responsible pharmacist absent but supervising?
The assembly process:
* Generating a dispensing label
* Taking medicines off the dispensary shelves
* Assembly of the item (e.g. counting tablets)
* Labelling of containers with the dispensing label
* Accuracy checking
What activities require the responsible pharmacist absent?
- Sale of general sale list (GSL) medicines
- Processing waste stock medicines or patient returned medicines
(excluding Controlled Drugs)
What activities can carry on with no responsible pharmacist?
- Ordering stock from pharmaceutical wholesalers
- Receiving stock from pharmaceutical wholesalers into the building (excluding Controlled Drugs)
- Putting medicinal stock received from the wholesaler away onto the pharmacy shelves (GSL, P, and POMs,
excluding CDs) - Date Checking (excluding CDs)
- Stocking pharmacy with consumables
- Cleaning of the pharmacy
- Responding to enquiries (about medicine issues)
- Accessing the PMR
- Receiving prescription directly from patients or collecting from a surgery
- Processing of prescription forms that have been dispensed (eg. Counting number of items dispensed, sorting prior submission for reimbursement)
- Delivery person conveying medicines to patient
- Receiving patient returned medicines (excluding controlled drugs)
