Validity period for owing slips
Pharmacists are reminded that, when it is not possible to dispense
a prescription in its entirety, the patient, or the patient’s carer
or representative, should be provided with a legible note detailing
the name and quantity of the medicine outstanding, and a record should
be kept in the pharmacy. Whenever possible, the patient, carer or representative
should be informed when the balance will be available for collection.
When a patient returns to collect the outstanding balance of the prescription,
the pharmacists must use his or her professional judgement to decide
whether the supply is still necessary and appropriate. Pharmacists should
consider the time elapsed since the initial supply was made and whether
any changes have been made to the patient’s medicines that may
warrant a referral to their GP. At the outset, pharmacists should advise
the patient, carer or representative that, if they do not collect the
outstanding balance within a specified time, it may not be possible to
make the supply.
The period of validity of the owing slip will depend on whether the prescription
is for a Controlled Drug or not.
Prescriptions for Schedule 2, 3 and 4 Controlled Drugs The
Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, as amended, restrict the validity of a Schedule
2, 3 or 4 Controlled Drug
prescription to 28 days from the appropriate date on the prescription. The appropriate
date will either be the date on which the prescription was signed by the person
issuing it or the date indicated by him or her as being the start date. If a
patient or patient’s representative returns to collect an owing for a Schedule
2, 3 or 4 CD more than 28 days after the appropriate date, the outstanding balance
cannot be supplied. To prevent patient care being compromised, it would be advisable
for pharmacists to inform patients, or their carers or representatives, that
they must return to collect their owing before the 28-day validity expires.
Other prescriptions A prescription for a Schedule 5 Controlled Drug, a prescription-only
medicine, a pharmacy medicine or a general sale list medicine is valid for six
months from the appropriate date, unless it is a repeatable prescription. In
the case of a repeatable prescription, the prescription cannot be dispensed for
the first time after the six month period, or other than in accordance with the
direction contained in the repeatable prescription. The appropriate date will
either be the date the prescription was signed by the person issuing it or the
date indicated by him or her as being the date before which it shall not be dispensed.
If the patient returns to the pharmacy to collect an owing more than six months
after the appropriate date the outstanding balance cannot be supplied, unless
it is a repeatable item that was initially dispensed within six months.
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Rest breaks
Pharmacists’ prime concern must be for the safety and well being
of patients and the public. Working for extended periods without taking
appropriate rest
breaks can adversely affect a pharmacist’s ability to practise safely and
may compromise patient care. Pharmacists, pharmacy owners, superintendent pharmacists
and pharmacy managers should therefore ensure that there are provisions in place
to allow pharmacists to have appropriate rest breaks.
The Code of Ethics supports this requirement by stating that pharmacists should
ensure that they do not work in conditions that do not enable them to comply
with the key responsibilities of a pharmacist. Similarly, there is a professional
requirement for pharmacist owners, superintendent pharmacists and pharmacy managers
to ensure that they do not seek to impose conditions on pharmacists that may
adversely affect their ability to comply with their professional and legal duties.
It is essential to encourage pharmacists to take appropriate breaks and requiring
an employee pharmacist to work for extended periods without adequate provision
for rest breaks could constitute a breach of the Code of Ethics.
A pharmacist’s capacity to undertake his or her professional duties safely
for specified periods without a break will differ between individuals and will
depend on various factors, including the tasks being undertaken, the complexity
of patients’ needs, the level of trained support staff on duty, prescription
volume and the level of over-the-counter business. Pharmacists and their employers
should give particular consideration to the provision of appropriate rest breaks
when pharmacists are working in extended hours pharmacies, providing on call
services, or travelling long distances to their place of work.
When agreeing working hours and breaks to be taken during the working day, employers
and employees should take note of the Working Time Regulations 1998. These state
that if an employee is required to work for more than six hours at a time, he
or she is entitled to a rest break of 20 minutes. The break should be taken during
the six-hour period rather than at the beginning or the end, but the exact time
that breaks are taken is left to the discretion of the employer. Employees are
also entitled to have a minimum 11 hours rest between each working day and cannot
be forced to work more than 48 hours a week on average.
While the Working Time Regulations can provide a useful benchmark, more frequent
breaks may be required, for example, where high volumes of prescriptions are
being dispensed.
Under the Working Time Regulations, employers are responsible for making sure
that their employees can take a rest break. Employees can agree to opt out of
the working time limits. If an employee agrees to work more than 48 hours per
week he or she should sign an opt-out agreement, which they can change at any
time. Should an incident arise that may be attributable to a pharmacist’s
failure to take adequate rest breaks, or a pharmacy owner or superintendent pharmacist’s
failure to make provision for adequate rest breaks, the reason for not taking
a break may be considered during any subsequent investigation by the Society.
The right to rest breaks does not apply where a job requires round-the-clock
staffing, such as in hospitals, and exceptions can be made for emergencies or
busy periods. Further information on the Working Time Regulations can be obtained
from the Department
of Trade and Industry website
The above principles and guidance will also apply to registered pharmacy technicians.
When a pharmacist is taking a break, robust standard operating procedures should
be in place to ensure that no activities take place which require the pharmacist’s
personal involvement or oversight. All pharmacy support staff should be aware
of these procedures and patients should be advised of when the pharmacist is
not available and when they are due to return. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal