Retail Pharmacy Business and Pharmacists

Question 1

What are the requirements of the sale of medicinal products under the Medicines Act 1968?

Answer 1

• takes place in a registered premise that is registered with the GPhC
• sale is by, or under the supervision of, a pharmacist

Question 2

With who do you register a retail pharmacy business?

Answer 2

• GPhC

- PSNI (Northern Ireland)

Question 3

What is the definition of a ‘retail pharmacy business’?

Answer 3

‘a business (other than a professional practice carried on by a doctor or dentist) which consists of or includes the retail sale of medicinal products that are not subject to general sale;’

medicines OTHER than GSL

Question 4

What is the definition of ‘retail sale’?

Answer 4

‘any sale that does not fall within the definition of wholesale dealing is retail sale’

retail - directly to the patient/on behalf of the patient
wholesale dealing - where the end recipient is NOT the patient

Question 5

What piece of legislation has amended the 2 parts of the Medicines Act 1968 regarding retail pharmacy business?

Answer 5

Health Act 2006

Question 6

When can the retail sale at these premises of medicinal products take place?

Answer 6

when there is a responsible pharmacist in charge of the business at those premises

Question 7

Who can be the responsible pharmacist?

Answer 7

• the owner themselves
• an employee
• a locum

Question 8

Both of the people involved in lawfully conducting retail pharmacy business as a partnership must be pharmacists - true or false?

Answer 8

TRUE - for England.

In Scotland, only one of the people in the partnership need to be a pharmacist

Question 9

What is a body corporate?

Answer 9

a chain of pharmacies that lawfully conduct a retail pharmacy business

an association of individuals constituted to acquire collective legal personality

Question 10

When would a representative of a pharmacist be lawfully conducting a retail pharmacy business?

Answer 10

where the pharmacist may have died/bankrupt/suffered mental disorders

must inform the GPhC of the name and address of the representative and name of the pharmacist whose representative they are

Question 11

How long can a representative of a pharmacist act for in the case of a death?

Answer 11

5 years

Question 12

How long can a representative of a pharmacist act for in cases other than death?

Answer 12

3 years

Question 13

Who must body corporates be under the management of?

Answer 13

a Superintendent Pharmacist - the superintendent of the chain has to be a pharmacist

Question 14

The superintendent pharmacist cannot be the responsible pharmacist - true or false?

Answer 14

FALSE - they can

Question 15

The superintendent pharmacist can act in a similar capacity for another body corporate - true or false?

Answer 15

FALSE - they can’t

Question 16

What information regarding the superintendent pharmacist must be sent to the GPhC ?

Answer 16

a statement signed by the superintendent pharmacist, and signed on behalf of the body corporate to specify their name

and to also state whether they are a member of the board of that body or not

Question 17

Superintendent Pharmacist’s have no legal obligations under the Medicines Act 1968 - true or false?

Answer 17

FALSE - they have full time responsibility and accountability for setting out the standards and policies for the provision of pharmacy services

they manage the pharmaceutical aspects of the business