The new rules for 01/10/09

[mandy]

Does anyone know about the new rules that came in on the 01/10/09???? as we had a locum in on that day and he was asking about all the new guide lines, and was asking for this book and that book ......Doh i don't have a clue what your on about, was my answer.

I rang my boss and all he said was show them the SOP'S.

But he wanted more than the SOP'S he wanted a book were the daily pharmacist wrote his details and signed it at the end of the day, ha ha i gave him the back page of the order pad and said" write your name and the time your arrived (dont forget you were 15mins late) and the problems you have had and the time you spent on the internet oh and the time you left". Bet we dont see him again ha ha

[Rafael]

please read this, and do not take any offence, but take the issue seriously! it is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE for a pharmacy to open with no RP signed on to be responsible for the safe running of the pharmacy.
your pharmacy is operating against the responsible pharmacist laws! a ring to the PCT inspector might result in a big problem for your pharmacy, and your boss.

make sure all SOPs are read and signed by ALL the staff. it is a requirement, by law, that a system is present for the RP to sign that he is in charge that day for the running of the branch. if your boss is not well informed about the RP, i suggest he catch up with the CPPE, RP tool kit ...etc before it's too late, and brief ALL THE STAFF members about the new changes and what it means when he/she is not around, and a locum is in charge. the blame is being shifted from superintendent to the pharmacist, therefore a branch like yours ( and many many others) opening under such conditions with no RP log book, no proper and UPDATED SOPs that incorporate the RP SOP, is in breach of the new regulations.

google RP tool kit and read through it. in short, RP concept replaced the personal control requirement. in practice, what a mess it is creating.

[Rafael]

Rpsgb.org: Responsible pharmacist

[PtitpupUK]

To be honest I am not surprised you didn't know about RP...

We got a massive size folder provided by company, and I was the first one to be asked to read the SOPs that was the day before RP was introduced and at 3pm ! Bear in mind that SOPs can be really unpractical, a bit of goobledigook, boring to read, and scattered with useless elements (why do they feel like they need to re-iterate the "How to serve a customer" SOP right in the middle of the RP SOP - obviously they think we're stupid and we've forgotten so there's not much hope in us following the RP SOP either then is there?). No time to answer questions, have a practical chat (are we supposed to remember everything that we are/are not allowed to do and when just from one read?)
Sorry, but some people are like me, they gather information from experience. A piece of paper with some words on it won't help. Oh and no, I didn't want to attend a meeting outside of work thank you.

[johnep]

Arrived for first locum as RP. Asked the staff if all had signed the SOPs.
Signed?, not even had a chance to read yet. Old practices not in line with SOP still going on. I left copies of the relevant pages for the regular pharmacist. If no improvement by next week?
johnep

[howe928]

another useful website: http://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/...iblepharmacist
PART 9 All you need to know about pharmacy staff and accountability



If pharmacists haven’t already done so, now is the time to start getting staff up to speed with the Responsible Pharmacist (RP) regulations. Whether you are an owner or even work regularly with staff as a locum, you must be sure they understand what the new rules mean before October.



You should explain what an RP is, who is likely to be the RP, and tell them about the RP notice and also the pharmacy record and where it will be stored.



Perhaps the biggest change for staff under the new rules is that the pharmacy can stay open if the RP chooses to be absent. You must explain what this means and what staff can and can’t do in your absence. Remember:



1: Staff cannot sell P medicines or hand out pre-bagged or checked prescriptions unless a second pharmacist is there. This includes prescriptions for GSL medicines which also cannot be supplied.



2: With the prior permission of the absent RP, staff may sell GSL medicines and take prescriptions in from patients in their absence.



3: Staff may also assemble medicines but you must be sure of their competencies and capabilities and that SOPs cover this role.



You must outline what staff can do in SOPs, go through these to check they understand them and make sure they know where to find them.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1) RP (Responsible pharmacist) log book: for pharmacist to sign in and sign out in 24 hours format e.g. 0900 1700
(if the pharmacist put 0900 0500 = the pharmacist is reponsible till the next day 5am? worst still, if they do not put sign out time, that's mean they are still there and gone missing more than 2 hours - home sleeping)

2) Display a notice with full name + registration number.
(solution: Go and get a paper to write this on.)

3) Check SOPs (standard operatin procedures) exist.
(solution: go and hunt them out ! or get a set from somewhere, better from the same company)

Q1 how about staff absence or has to leave earlier, what to do with this? need to review SOP? need to do anything when another reinforcement staff not listed in teh SOP arrive?

Q2 without a pharmacist or without an agreement over the phone,
staff cannot take in prescription, cannot label or dispense medicines.

can they sign for order and put order away? or as long as it is not GSL, P or POM
can they do a back up on computer (patient medical records)?
can they print off a bag label?
can they take repeat order from patients?
can they answer any query?
can they check expiry date of medicines?
can they stock check?
can they get rid of medicines or confidential waste?

anybody knows?

best option might just shut the shop down and not answering any phone call query except if it is pharmacist who rang to say stuck in traffic

Arrived for first locum as RP. Asked the staff if all had signed the SOPs.
Signed?, not even had a chance to read yet. Old practices not in line with SOP still going on. I left copies of the relevant pages for the regular pharmacist. If no improvement by next week?
johnep

did you write this detail in the responsible pharmacist log book? there is a column for note writing

next to contact is the boss (or finally the superintentent) of that regular pharmacist