Board releases proprieter guidelines
December 9, 2010
THE Pharmacy Board of Australia
has finally published its longawaited
Guidelines on the
responsibilities of pharmacists when
practising as proprietors.
As foreshadowed during the
development of the new guideline,
thedocument stipulates that
registered pharmacists who are
proprietors of, or who have a
pecuniary interest in a pharmacy
business “must maintain, and be
able to demonstrate an awareness
of the manner in which that
pharmacy business is being
conducted and, where necessary,
intervene toensure that the practice
of pharmacy is conducted in
accordance with applicable laws,
standards and guidelines”.
The Board says that its policy is
that a pharmacist who owns a
pharmacy is, by definition,
practising pharmacy, because
ownership of a pharmacy business
is a role that impacts on safe,
effective delivery of services in the
profession and involves the use of
professional skills.
The policy also applies to a
pharmacist “who holds a position
of authority in a corporate
pharmacy services provider, or who
acts as a pharmacy services
provider as a trustee of a trust.”
In cases where the owner or partowner
of the pharmacy is not
usually in charge, “he or she must
determine regularly how the
practice of pharmacy is being
conducted” to be satisfied that it is
in accordance with any laws,
policies or guidelines.
This includes ensuring
appropriate risk management
procedures are in place,
understanding the range of goods
sold and services provided,
ensuring that the pharmacy is
resourced suitably and that all staff
members are sufficiently trained,
ensuring policies are being followed
and “maintaining a direction over
the kinds of services being provided
and goods being sold, particularly
those known to be subject to abuse
and misuse,” the Board said.
Spelling it out, the Guideline
specifies that proprietors or partowners
cannot abdicate their
professional obligations “even if
that partner is silent operationally or
present only infrequently,” in all
forms of business structures.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 09 Dec 10To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 09 Dec 10
