To report or wait..?

[Nightwatch]

I recently found I had given the wrong strength of medication last month, the woman took a months worth of a higher strength before realising, she said she felt more tired than usual. The prescription has now been sent off to the NHSBSA.

She also said the prescription was hand-written.. So my query, seeing as there's no definite proof as it wasnt on the computer, do I just report it as my error, or wait to try and get the prescription back (which i know can take a couple months) just to make sure it was my mistake and not the Dr written it wrongly?

Could really do with some advice, thank you.

[Defblade]

No great need to report it outside of company and possibly insurers at all.

If you wish to follow it through, you will need to script back and no report would be complete without a copy of the script; also you won't know if you might need to change your practise.

[Nightwatch]

So you think I should wait to get the script back? I work for a company and assume i am insured by them, so if it was my mistake i will of course report once we get the script back. Praying that it was the Drs error...

[johnep]

Ok for your peace of mind get the script back. Otherwise as long as you have apologised profusely and reassured the pt that you will be noting what strength she has. Just forget it. If pt is happy, then OK.
johnep

[Pharmanaut]

Ok for your peace of mind get the script back. Otherwise as long as you have apologised profusely and reassured the pt that you will be noting what strength she has. Just forget it. If pt is happy, then OK.
johnep

The main person is the patient; make sure the problem has been resolved to their satisfaction.
Then look at your working pattern to establish the reason for the problem and focus on future prevention.
Complete any recording your orginisation requires.

[Defblade]

I work for a company and assume i am insured by them

Join the PDA. You may, technically, be insured by the company you work for; but if it comes to a disagreement between you and company about the root cause of a problem, guess whose side their lawyers will be on?

[Web Ferret]

Join the PDA. You may, technically, be insured by the company you work for; but if it comes to a disagreement between you and company about the root cause of a problem, guess whose side their lawyers will be on?

+1 and then some

DO NOT work without your own insurance.

Report this to the pharmacy owner in the first instance using whatever error reporting system is used. Just write "not known" where applicable and don't implicate yourself yet.

IF you have made a mistake then you have committed a criminal offence.

[Nightwatch]

Thank you for all replies, i have emailed the pricing division requesting the prescription back, but it will take a few months- will it be a bad move waiting for the Rx back before i report? I just dont want to report without having the Rx but worried for future consequences if they ask why i didnt report sooner, and on our reporting system it does need 'pharmacist responsible' to be filled.. Ohh dear oh dear.

[johnep]

I received a faxed copy in a day or so. Asking for the actual script will mean long delays while it goes through the system.
johnep

[Nightwatch]

Ah well a copy was all i needed as it's just to make sure it was my mistake and not the Dr written incorrectly, not sure if it still takes this long as they need to find the Rx?

I'm worried sick about this as i've already made another error a few months back, and now this.. how serious would it have to be, to be struck off? =/