The fact of the pharmacist is also liable doesn't surprise me. When I was working at boots, it was a question at many pharmacists lips, but we never got a clear answer from the supperintendent office. What the area managers always said was that if you followed the procedures you would be on the clear. However, legally the pharmacist is responsible for everything in the pharmacy, and if the ACT does a mistake, he is responsible.
It also poses a question when there is more than one pharmacist. Imagine that, in the monday, the prescription was clinically checked by pharmacist A. In the following day, tuesday, pharmacist B is the pharmacist in charge and the prescription is dispensed by a dispenser and checked by the ACT. The ACT doesn't notice the mistake. On the wednesday, the patient collects the medicines, but is pharmacist C in charge. Who is responsible? And imagine that A, B and C are locums. And in some stores with MDS, the locum isn't even aware that an ACT is checking prescriptions while he is in charge!!
This needs clarification by the RPSGB. However, knowing our dear society, I can imagine what they will say....
I can only hope that the pharmacists and technitians won't be prosecuted by an unintentional human error, that can happen regardless of how many SOPs one follows.
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