The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7487 p106
2 February 2008

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News summary

PDA critical of Government consultation on responsible pharmacist

Fresh thought is needed on the relationship between company superintendent pharmacists and the proposed responsible pharmacists who are to be present in each community pharmacy. That is the core of the Pharmacists’ Defence Association response to the Government’s responsible pharmacist consultation.
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“Poorly thought through concepts based on the wrong basic principles can only result in bad regulations resulting in compromised working practices which will ultimately impact upon patient safety,” the response states.

The PDA says that the Government ought to go back to the drawing board and revisit the principles underpinning its proposals.

The PDA shares the view of other pharmacy bodies that supervision requirements should be considered before any decisions are made about how responsible pharmacists will work.

It says: “Many of the answers to the questions would be different if being answered from a standpoint of remote supervision as opposed to a pharmacist being present. Consequently, it is the belief of the PDA that the result of this consultation will have little value … as it is no longer clear as to what this consultation is about.”

Nevertheless, the PDA supports the concept of a responsible pharmacist — who should only be responsible for a single pharmacy and should have to undergo training and a competency-based assessment before assuming the role — but warns that the proposal that he or she will be subject to the directions of the superintendent pharmacist is questionable.

Expectations that a responsible pharmacist coming on duty should sign his or her acceptance of written procedures that could run into hundreds of pages are unrealistic, it adds.

Instead, the PDA proposes that an incoming responsible pharmacist should only be liable for procedures that he or she has changed and that the responsible pharmacist that established the original procedures should remain responsible for them.

It also says that a responsible pharmacist who decides that something beyond his or her control has made the pharmacy unsafe should be able to relinquish responsibility to a more senior pharmacist, such as an area manager or superintendent, who should be required to resolve the issue within a specified period.