act in retail pharmacy

[terri]

if anybody is interested in retail pharmacy and becoming an act i might be able to give you an insight into it i have been qualified 2 years now and would like to talk to other trainees or qualified acts to see how they are doing or just pass on hints and tips if ou have questions .

[Apothecary]

Terri

The worry most pharmacists is will we be responsible for any mistakes an act makes? We all know anyone can make a mistake, and obviously nobody wants to be the bearer of someone elses error. How do you suppose this possible problem will be addressed?

[terri]

i think it is important to remember that when a technician becomes an act they have to realise that the pharmacist is still responsible for not only there errors but the act aswell. I would expect anybody trianing or trained make sure they know the consiquenses as the act can still be struck off or repremanded in the same way as the pharmacist can be.it is not a role to go into or to be taken lightly, i am lucky the pharmacist that trained me was brilliant we also had a lot of trust and faith in each other (very big factors for the role) that trust was built over time, in my case i worked with her for twenty years. the role demands a high level of concentration and proffessionalism i believe i have now checked somewhere in the region of
30000 items and as yet have had no come backs but have found plenty of near misses which i have to log as part of my re-accreditation process(every two years)the main point of action is to go into the role with a level head and committ yourself to not only protecting yourself but also the pharmacist. in my opinion i would reccomend that you should have at least 6 years experience working in a dispensary and probably be over 25 years old i worked it out that if a 16 year old joined our company they could qualify in just 4 years as an act i am still coming accross different learning curves now and always will be but life experience is a big part of the training your not just checking your solving day to day queries aswell just as a technician.

[admin]

Terri

How can an Act be struck off? Can't you just go and get a job as a normal dispenser? If a pharmacist is struck off, that's it, the dole queue. Until they are lucky enough to be re-in stated, if ever.

the pharmacist is still responsible for not only there errors but the act aswell.

This is the bit that concerns us all. I understand what you say about trust etc, and you sound very committed, but it's the old "my neck on the block" part that scares most pharmacists.

If the Society was more supportive to pharmacists, maybe we would not be all so nervous, but all the time it has the one role of policing us nobody trusts it. The thought of being in the dock for a prescription error is bad enough, but to be there for one I haven't even checked is a real worry.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by admin

How can an Act be struck off? Can't you just go and get a job as a normal dispenser? If a pharmacist is struck off, that's it, the dole queue. Until they are lucky enough to be re-in stated, if ever.

Can't a struck off pharmacist work as a dispenser (I know I've had letters requesting the opportunity - but I don't know if it's allowed or not)

Jeff

[admin]

Jeff

Interesting point Jeff, I don't know. What do you think of: -

the pharmacist is still responsible for not only there errors but the act as well

Does this worry you? Would you be happy to have this arrangement in your dispensary?

[Zoggite]

If I was a patient (and not a pharmacist) I think I'd feel safer knowing my prescription has been checked by an experienced ACT rather than by an overworked pharmacist by webcam who's supposed to be supervising up to 3 pharmacies at the same time, which is what could happen in the future if the various articles in the PJ are to be believed...!

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by admin

Jeff

What do you think of: -

Does this worry you? Would you be happy to have this arrangement in your dispensary?

Depends on the ACT. I want the freedom to delegate as I see fit - I'm less sure about my employer telling me who to delegate to.

I would suspect that in cases of remote supervision the prescriptions would sent by ETP to a hub and be assembled there by robot and delivered to the pharmacy for transfer to the patient.

Jeff

[diane]

Hi terri
please could you give me some advice. I have completed the interact course and would like to progress onto other courses. Would you be able to let me know what other courses that i could apply for.

many thanks,

diane

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by diane

Hi terri
please could you give me some advice. I have completed the interact course and would like to progress onto other courses. Would you be able to let me know what other courses that i could apply for.

many thanks,

diane

Depends who you are working for. Lloyds have their own dispensers course and the NPA do one as well - not sure about anyone else.
Then there's NVQ level 3 (which follows on from the dispensing course)

Jeff