The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7486 p72
26 January 2008

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Pharmacy manager and duty pharmacist suggested

The proposed roles of the responsible pharmacist are too broad, the Institute of Pharmacy Management says in its response to the consultation. It suggests that two distinct roles — those of the pharmacy manager and the duty pharmacist — need to be separately identified in legislation.

“The proposal to redefine personal control mainly through what are superintendent functions and duty pharmacist responsibilities for procedures and record keeping, ignores managerial lines of accountability and does not adequately cover the many other factors affecting safe practice that may be controlled in some pharmacies by a different pharmacy manager or his superiors,” it says.

The IPM suggests that the role of pharmacy manager should be introduced with responsibility for premises suitability, equipment and resource levels, services contracted, staffing levels, staff competencies and training. The role of responsible pharmacist should be redefined as duty pharmacist or pharmacist in charge, it adds. The duty pharmacist will work with agreed staff levels to the pharmacy manager’s policies and guidelines, and agreed levels of service provision.