Retail Pharmacy Business and Responsible Pharmacist

Question 1

What is a Pharmacy business?

Answer 1

Somewhere where medicinal products should be sold/supplied, unless they are subject to some exemption

Question 2

What is a retail pharmacy business?

Answer 2

A business that operates from a registered pharmacy

Question 3

What is meant by ‘retail sale - personal use’?

Answer 3

The sale of a substance to a person with a purpose other than to sell/supply/administer/cause to administer in the course of a business

Question 4

What is meant by ‘retail supply - supply against an NHS prescription’?

Answer 4

Supply other than retail sale, supply of a P/POM against NHS. Made in circumstances corresponding to retail sale

Question 5

Who can own a retail pharmacy business?

Answer 5

• pharmacists
• partnership of pharmacists
• body corporate
• representative of a pharmacist

Question 6

What is the set up when pharmacists own the business?

Answer 6

• business side for retail must have a responsible pharmacist, can be the only pharmacist or one they employ, does not have to be the owner.
• in the UK all partners must be pharmacists, but in scotland there only needs to be one, but the retail sale side must have a responsible pharmacist

Question 7

What is the set up when a body corporate owns the business (lloyds)?

Answer 7

• keeping, preparing and dispensing P&POM must be under the management of a superintendent pharmacist
• responsible pharmacist at each premises is under the supervision of the superintendent pharmacist

Question 8

What is a ‘representative’?

Answer 8

Someone who takes over the running of a pharmacy business. Must always still have a responsible pharmacist

Question 9

In the case of the death of a pharmacist, how long can an executor of the deceased stand in?

Answer 9

5 years

Question 10

How long can a trustee take over the business in the case of bankruptcy?

Answer 10

3 years

Question 11

How long can a receiver take over in the case of mental illness?

Answer 11

3 years

Question 12

How does a registered pharmacy business operate?

Answer 12

• premises must be approved by GPhC
• Must meet GPhC standards
• must have a responsible pharmacist in charge

Question 13

What responsibilities does a responsible pharmacist have?

Answer 13

• must ensure the secure safe and effective running of the pharmacy where medicines are concerned.
• must display a notice which meets legal requirements
• must complete pharmacy record
• must establish and maintain pharmacy procedures

Question 14

If there is more than one pharmacist at any one time, can there be more than one responsible pharmacist?

Answer 14

No, there can only be one responsible pharmacist at any one time

Question 15

Can a responsible pharmacist be responsible for more than one pharmacy at any one time?

Answer 15

No

Question 16

What must be included on the responsible pharmacist notice?

Answer 16

• name
• GPhC reg number
• statement to claim that they are now in charge of pharmacy at this time

Question 17

What must be included in relation to a responsible pharmacist in a pharmacy record?

Answer 17

• can be paper or electronic
• name
• reg no
• date and time of when they started and ended being responsible pharmacist
• if the responsible pharmacist is absent, need to record the date and time that they left and came back

Question 18

What must be recorded in the pharmacy record when the responsible pharmacist is absent from the premises?

Answer 18

Date, and the time that they left and returned to the premises

Question 19

How long must the pharmacy record be kept for?

Answer 19

The owner/superintendent must keep the record for 5 years and it must be always available at the pharmacy that it relates to

Question 20

What is a responsible pharmacy accountable for in relation to pharmaceutical products?

Answer 20

Ensuring pharmaceutical products are:
- ordered
- stored
- prepared
- sold by retail
- supplied by retail
- disposed 
And records of this must be maintained

Question 21

What is the responsible pharmacist accountable for?

Answer 21

• pharmacy operating procedures
• must identify staff that are competent to do tasks relating to the pharmacy
• must ensure that arrangements are in place in the case of the absence of the responsible pharmacist
• changeover of RP steps
• complaint procedure
• issues of business
• staff awareness of procedure changes
• must have an in depth knowledge of pharmacy

Question 22

What are the rules around the absence of a responsible pharmacist?

Answer 22

• can only be absent for a maximum of 2 hours in a 24 hour period
• only absent if the pharmacy can remain safe and effective
• MUST be contactable at ALL times
• must be able to return ASAP if needed

Question 23

Which activities can take place in the absence of the responsible pharmacist?

Answer 23

• sale and supply of GSL

- taking in prescriptions

Question 24

Which 5 principles are inspected (standards set by GPhC) on a premises?

Answer 24

1. governance
2. staff competence
3. environment
4. service delivery
5. equipment and facilities.
   All of these are inspected to ensure the safe and effective running of a pharmacy

Question 25

Which titles are classed as ‘restricted titles’?

Answer 25

• ‘pharmacy’ - can only be used for a registered pharmacy business or a pharmacy in a hospital
• ‘chemist/dispensing chemist’

Question 26

Does a hospital have to register the pharmacy?

Answer 26

• no, but most do.
  Premises exempt from medicines act regulations.
  If they are registered, this means they can dispense prescriptions from outside of the hospital or sell P meds.
• They take advantage of being exempt regarding supply & wholesale dealing

Question 27

What are the rules around responsible pharmacists in hospitals?

Answer 27

If the pharmacy is registered, then it must have a responsible pharmacist. But there does not have to be a responsible pharmacist if they choose not to register the pharmacy