Technicians' ethics code has conflicting responsibilities
Close similarities between a draft code of ethics for pharmacy technicians and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Code of Ethics will lead to difficulties deciding who holds ultimate responsibility for certain activities, the National Pharmaceutical Association has said.
The NPA response to the draft technicians’ code, published by the
Society earlier this year (PJ, 7 February, p165), says that this will
be a particular issue in community pharmacy, where technicians work under
direct pharmaceutical supervision. The NPA points out that the proposed
key responsibilities of technicians are almost identical to those of
pharmacists. Bearing in mind that the Society is clear that pharmacists
will remain accountable for the actions of technicians, even if supervision
requirements are relaxed, the NPA believes that a key responsibility
of technicians should be to work within guidelines and procedures agreed
between technicians and their accountable pharmacists.
Other areas of similarity include obligations to ensure professional
competence and to have access to facilities and equipment suitable for
the provision of acceptable standards of service.
The NPA conclusion is that the Society’s Law and Ethics Committee
has failed to develop a separate code for technicians, rather than fulfil
its decision not merely to adjust the pharmacists’ Code of Ethics.
It says that a much simpler code should be drafted for technicians focused
on professional competence and a need to follow protocols set by pharmacists. |
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