The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7275 p678
15 November 2003

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  Modernisation
  Devolution
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  Law and Ethics
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Letters to the Editor

Law and Ethics

Should all pharmacies have answerphones?

From Mr J. E. Packham, MRPharmS

In her reply to R. Woodhouse (PJ, 1 November, p610), Helen Potter says: “A pharmacist concerned that his professional responsibilities would be affected, particularly at busy times, by the business telephone may find it more appropriate to delegate the answering of the telephone and the taking of messages to a member of the pharmacy staff.”

In many pharmacies where I work as a locum, there is often only one member of staff (none on a Sunday or Bank Holiday) on the counter. The telephone is tucked away in the corner of the dispensary and it would require the member of staff to leave the counter, and perhaps a queue of customers, and walk some few yards past me to answer it.

Is there a requirement to have two telephones (regulation) or will the Royal Pharmaceutical Society make a request to the Department of Health to fund another (representation)?

If we should always have ample staff, then again, is this to be a requirement (regulation) or will the Society act on our behalf for getting funding for extra staff (representation)? Doctors get funding for staff.

In one large pharmacy where I work, it is forbidden to answer the telephone if dispensing or dealing with a customer. Should every pharmacy have an answerphone or voicemail?

John Packham
Dunstable, Bedfordshire

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