Responsible Pharmacist Flashcards
What is the new legal basis regarding supervision?
Health Act 2006 replaced the previous primary legislation
- sets out statutory duty
- sets out regulations covering the ability of pharmacist’s to be able to leave the pharmacy:
Responsible Pharmacist Regulations 2008
got rid of the ‘personal control’ and brought in ‘responsible pharmacists’ to enable pharmacist’s to pursue a greater clinical role
Each ‘body corporate’ of pharmacies require a superintendent pharmacies to oversee all of the pharmaceutical aspects of all chains - true or false?
TRUE - they are legally responsible
A superintendent pharmacist cannot act as a responsible pharmacist in one of branches - true or false?
FALSE - they can also act as a responsible pharmacist
All pharmacies registered with the GPhC has to have a responsible pharmacist - true or false?
TRUE
all pharmacies are registered with the GPhC - true or false?
FALSE, half of them are so that they are then able to make supplies to another legal entity other than that hospital
Who is able to appoint the responsible pharmacist?
- Superintendents
- Chief Pharmacists of Health Boards and Trusts
- Owners of Pharmacies
Who can be the responsible pharmacist?
- the person carrying on the business (actually owns it)
- a partner of the business
- another pharmacist registered in this country
Who can be the responsible pharmacist in a body corporate?
- superintendent
- manager/assistant pharmacist who are subject to the directions of the superintendent
You can have more than one responsible pharmacist working in the same pharmacy - true or false?
FALSE
you can have more than one pharmacist working in a pharmacy but only one of them will be acting as a responsible pharmacist
What does a display notice of the responsible pharmacist include?
- Responsible Pharmacist’s Name
- Responsible Pharmacist’s GPhC Reg Number
- state that they are in charge of that pharmacy on that day
Display notices of the responsible pharmacist have to be in a format provided by the GPhC - true or false?
FALSE
there are no particular formats or designs
What records, if any, need to be made when a responsible pharmacist begins their shift?
a record must be made
- name and registration number
- date and time at which the RP because the RP and when they ceased to be the RP (sign IN and OUT)
if they are the responsible pharmacist for the whole week then they do not need to sign in and out every day, they can just sign out at the end of the week
Responsible pharmacists need to record any absences from the pharmacy - what do these records include?
- date of absence
- time commenced, time returned
- reason (GP)
It is a legal requirement for a reason to be recorded when a responsible pharmacist makes a record for their absence - true or false?
FALSE
not a legal requirement, but is good practice
How long to responsible pharmacist records (sign in/out/absences) need to be kept for?
5 years
- by the pharmacy owner
- by the superintendent
You can sign in all your shifts in the responsible pharmacist records at the end of each week - true or false?
FALSE
the record has to be contemporaneous, it has to be a daily record
any amendments have to be easily identifiable
cannot sign in retrospectively
Once SOPs have been made by pharmacist’s higher up, you cannot make any amendments to them - true or false?
FALSE
under legislation you are able to make amendments and changes as you see fit - LEGALLY able to change
In what formats can SOPs be kept?
- electronic
- in writing
What dates must SOPs include?
- date prepared
- review date
How often should SOPs be reviewed?
exact times are NOT specified by the GPhC - no legal requirements but the recommendation is
- every 2 years
- following an incident
You only need a responsible pharmacist when the pharmacy is in operation - when would this be?
- during business hours, opening hours
- when the pharmacy is shut, but staff are assembling/preparing
What does SOPs need to cover?
- arrangements so that medicines are … in a safe and effective manner
- giving advice on medicines for non-pharmacist staff
- identify staff who are competent to carry out certain tasks
- record keeping
- ARRANGEMENTS FOR WHEN THE RP IS ABSENT
- steps for when the RP changes
- procedure for when there is a complaint
- procedure for when there is an adverse incident
- notification of changes to procedures to pharmacy staff
How long can the responsible pharmacist be absent for?
2 hours max in a 24 hour period
What are the conditions regarding the absence of the responsible pharmacist?
- remain contactable
- be able to return with reasonable promptness
- if not possible - then another pharmacist needs to be available to provide advice, this pharmacist does not have to be on the premises
What are the 4 categories of activities that can take place in a pharmacy regarding supervision and the responsible pharmacist?
- Where an RP has signed on and the activity requires pharmacist supervision and the RP needs to be physically present
- Where an RP has signed on and the activity requires pharmacist supervision BUT the RP doesn’t need to be physically present
- Where the RP has signed on, but the activity doesn’t require the supervision of a pharmacist
- Where the RP is NOT required to be in charge of the premises (not signed on) but requires the staff who are doing the activity to be appropriately trained and the activity is done carrying out the SOP
What is the definition of ‘supervision’?
- decided by CASE law, NOT stated under the Medicines Act
where a transaction cannot take place without the physical presence of a pharmacist who is able to advise and intervene even though they do not necessarily have to carry out the transaction themselves
but if there are staff who are suitably trained then the physical presence may not actually be necessary, even though they would still be supervised
What activities can be carried out in scenario 1, where a responsible pharmacist has to be signed on, supervising and physically present?
- professional checks of a prescription
- sale/supply of P medicines
- sale/supply of POM medicines
- supply of medicines under a PGD
- emergency supplies
What activities can be carried out in scenario 2, where a responsible pharmacist has to be signed on, supervising but no physical presence is actually needed?
- generating dispensing label
- taking medicines off shelves
- assembly of an item
- labelling of containers with dispensing label
- accuracy checking
What activities can be carried out in scenario 3, where a responsible pharmacist has to be signed on but there is no supervision needed?
- sale of GSL medicines
- processing waste stock medicines/patient returned medicines
What activities can be carried out in scenario 4, where a responsible pharmacist is not required to be signed on or supervising at all?
- ordering stock from pharmaceutical wholesaler’s
- receiving stock - except CDs
- putting away stock onto shelves - except CDs
- date checking of medicines - except CDs
- accessing PMR
- receiving prescriptions directly from patient or collecting from surgery
- delivery person conveying medications to patient
What activities can take place if a responsible pharmacist has been gone for less than 2 hours?
- GSL medicines
- taking in prescriptions
What activities can take place if a responsible pharmacist has been gone for over 2 hours?
- taking in prescriptions
