The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7265 p305
6 September 2003

Society summary

Society seeks details of dispensing assistants' training courses to help prepare “grandparent clause”

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is inviting course providers to submit details of past and present dispensing assistant courses to help it decide which staff will be eligible to continue working without a new qualification once its mandatory training requirement comes into force.

The Society’s mandatory minimum training standard for staff involved in assembling prescriptions comes into force on 1 January 2005. Dispensing assistants will need to have achieved, or be in training towards, relevant units of the Scottish/ National Vocational Qualifications Level 2 qualification in pharmacy services or an accredited equivalent course. As a transitional arrangement, a “grandparent clause” will allow existing staff to continue working without the need for a new qualification if they can demonstrate their competence to a minimum standard. To do so they will have to have completed an acceptable prior dispensing assistants’ course and/or provide a declaration of competence completed by a pharmacist.

The Society is inviting course providers to submit their training details by the end of October.

Official Notice, p308