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Community pharmacy
Keep drug misusers out of community pharmacies
From Mr J. S. Bowman, MRPharmS
I work as a locum pharmacist in the community pharmacy sector in the
north east of England. After discussion with fellow pharmacists and the
various shop staff I work with each day, I have concluded that no one
believes that methadone or other treatments of drug-dependent patients
should be dispensed from a community pharmacy.
From my and others’ experiences these clientele are the least desirable
members of the public to be catered for by community pharmacy. They are
frequently abusing, threatening, demanding and intimidating, and are
a security risk to the store in terms of shoplifting and related criminal
issues. They are frequently disturbing and put other customers and patients
off entering the store, resulting in lost trade. There are also the associated
hassles of receiving accurately written prescriptions on time from practitioners,
suitable storage for the amount of drug stock required and the necessary
book keeping involved.
I see no reason to support their treatment in the community sector and
most strongly suggest that such patients should be dealt with in a separate “clinic” environment.
I already note that the majority of such patients see a different practitioner
from their own GP in a clinic to be assessed and receive their prescription
form. I see no reason why an adjacent “room” cannot be made
available where administration or dispensing of their required medicines
can be performed by suitably trained staff under the supervision of a
duty pharmacist.
The only incentive I see to having these patients in the community sector
is the remuneration offered to the owners of the pharmacy, but even the
problems I mentioned above must counterbalance this.
I look forward greatly to the day when these patients are no longer treated
in the community sector.
J. S. Bowman
Washington,Tyne and Wear
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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