The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7231 p65
11 January 2003

Society summary

Web-based guidance on computers and data protection

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has introduced web-based versions of its guidance on pharmacy computer systems and on information protection and security. Updated guidance can now be accessed from the practice section of the Society's website, where it will be reviewed continuously and amended as necessary to reflect changes in Government policy and the progress of National Health Service projects.

The guidance was formerly published in 'Medicines, ethics and practice: a guide for pharmacists' but was omitted from the current 26th edition because of the need for revision. Because of the delay between editions of the MEP, the Society decided that the guidance should be web-based, to allow pharmacists to react to and support NHS initiatives affecting pharmacy practice as they happen.

Reflecting the change to web-based publication, the document on computer systems now includes internet links to relevant sources of information and guidance available on NHS and Government websites.

An addition to the computer guidance is a paragraph stating that computer system suppliers should provide adequate training in the use of their systems during a properly planned implementation. In addition, pharmacies should provide regular training updates for staff and should have appropriate resources for training new staff.

The revision to the information protection and security guidance reflects that fact that the Data Protection Act 1998, unlike the 1984 Act it replaces, covers manual records as well as computer-based records. As a result, pharmacies using paper-based systems now need to notify the Information Commissioner (who recently succeeded the 1984 Act's Data Protection Registrar) about their use of data.

The guidance is expected to be further amended in the light of the Society's consultations with the Information Commissioner on matters such as patient access to information and the length of time for which records must be preserved.

Pharmacists without access to the internet can obtain copies of the revised guidance from Liz Griffiths, Practice Division, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN (tel 020 7572 2408; e-mail lgriffiths@rpsgb.org.uk).

As well as the computer and data protection guidance, several other sections of the MEP's practice guidance were omitted from the 26th edition because they also needed updating. Two of these, covering blood pressure monitoring and the testing of body fluids, are expected to be added to the Society's website shortly, with others following later.