Dodgy CD prescription

[jzd4rma]

Hey guys just wanted to know if anyone has come across as locum/relief pharmacist, Schedule 2 CD prescription written incorrectly which the regular pharmacist dispensing the item normally but when you point the issue out all you get is is retaliation from the staff! In reality I found out when as alocum you follow good practice you get verbal insults from staff regardless (I have checked items off faxed script which are hardly legible but when I have pointed out the issues remarks I got from dispensing staff includes 'that is absolutely disgusting' or 'you are blind!) but with CD 2 drugs its hardly something you can take lightly? So I was wondering if others have come across such situation?

[Asterix]

In what way was it written incorrectly

[culchie82]

On re reading, maybe not!

[johnep]

Millions of incorrectly CD scripts for patches probably dispensed. Very few say ' Apply ONE patch'.
johnep

[jzd4rma]

How about this for Oxynorm; 'take 5ml fourly' or MST Continus 'as directed' or 'when required' and yes prescriptions which are out of date which dispensing staff think are in date until you have to show the BNF to get them to understand! Hell when I raised the issue as a locum to the GP's who have issued the scripts they apologised and offered to immediately to write another script or amend it.

Johnep its very true for the patches i tend to dispense these scripts but for the others I had to refuse because being a relief I never work at one specific branch so i dont feel so comfortable with such scripts for the patches I always check what the PMR says and do a check if its say friday/weekend or the patient really needs it now!

[roxy]

I've just replied to one of your posts on my thread and I do have to say I think It's great that you are not compromising your principles. Please do not be intimidated by poorly trained and incompetent staff - ultimately you are in sole charge and if anything happens it's down to you - not the ACTS, technicians , bottle- washers etc - just YOU! I have done many locums where I find that the regular pharmacist has done somethimg unlawful - sometimes knowingly, and I will not condone it. For example a faxed script in itself is illegal and remember the law has no grey areas here - so if something happened you would have to explain in court why you dispensed from a faxed script. Sometimes it is easier to " go with the flow" especially if it involves trying to tell a methadone client why you're not prepared to have him/her collect early when the regular pharmacist does it. However I would urge you to resist this - remember refusing an early pick up is easier than trying to defend yourself in court when you have clearly broken the law! It is unfortunate that the standards of pharmacists in UK are so bad these days ( see my post in my thread) but if you stick to your guns you will be respected and sought after - and you can sleep easy!

[dippsy]

The real "answer" to this is that - theoretically at least - there is only one answer ... To follow the CD regs to the letter.

However, there are times when even these rules need to be circumvented. For example, a while back I dispensed a schedule 2 script to a terminally ill patient on a fax on a weekend. The likelihood was that this patient would not last the weekend and that the wife wanted to spend the last moments with her husband instead of chasing around for a prescription. This was completely reasonable in my mind and I was more than prepared to defend myself to the authorities even when the dispenser gasped at how irresponsible this was.

Staff are just that ... They are there to assist you and not to preach the rights and wrongs of your decisions. Ultimately it is your decision. Think about it ... If you accidentally dispense 100mg morphine instead of 10mg morphine because of a poorly written script, do you think that the staff will be supportive of your decision (even though they encouraged you to dispense it)?

The answer is simple. If you are prepared to defend your actions the dispense the prescription. If you are not willing to defend your actions, you will need to tell the staff (politely) that it is your decision (not theirs).

[johnep]

The question you must ask yourself is: 'Am I prepared to stand up in court and justify my actions'?
johnep