The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 266 No 7152 p815-820
June 16, 2001

  RPM
  In-store pharmacies
  Pharmacy medicines
  Patient packs
  The Profession
  Future of pharmacy
  Coronary heart disease
  Influenza
  Checking technicians
  Dianette
  Paracetamol
  Monitored dosage systems
  Disillusioned youth
  Code of Ethics
  SGM
  Disposal of medicines
  Separate register
  Onlooker
  The Journal

Disposal of medicines

Information sought

From Mr B. Godfrey, MRPharmS

As part of the process of reviewing and improving procedures for the safe and secure handling of medicines within the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, the need to implement recommendations from a recent stocks and stores audit and to comply with NHS controls assurance standards, we have identified an issue regarding procedures for dealing with medicines returned from clinical areas and identified for disposal.

Other hospital pharmacy departments may have considered the need for tighter control systems for auditing and recording medication identified for disposal and returned from clinical areas. As the introduction of such controls is likely to have major impact on the day-to-day operation and manpower requirements of most pharmacy departments, we would be most interested to hear from other hospital pharmacists who have introduced effective control systems and who are willing to share information and examples of best practice in this area.

Brian Godfrey
Pharmacy Department,
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust,
Leicester Royal Infirmary,
Leicester
LE1 5WW
e-mail BGodfrey@uhl.trent.nhs.uk

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