FAILURE to appropriately store, record, audit and report on Schedule 8 (S8) medicines continue to occupy the overwhelming majority of panel hearings conducted by the Victorian Pharmacy Authority (VPA).
Of the 15 hearings conducted between Aug and Oct 2019, licensees had failed to meet their responsibilities to comply with the Act and/or good pharmacy practice at registered premises in 14 cases involving these S8 matters, the VPA reported.
Eight hearings resulted in licensees being cautioned and six hearings resulted in reprimands, the VPA said in its latest communiqu.
Ongoing attention will be given to pharmacy reference libraries, S8 storage, recording and reconciliation, barcode scanning, the dispensary as a separate area and issues around storage and display of S3 medicines including pseudoephedrine.
Following a consultation process around revised draft guidelines, the VPA has made "minor amendments" and now authorised the final version.
Key amendments relate to the responsibilities of proprietors in dealings with locum pharmacists, health practitioner registration, pharmacist training, other personnel operating in a pharmacy and restricted keying systems.
Other elements updated involved medicine refrigeration facilities, vaccination room guidelines and time invested by pharmacists on dose administration aid-related tasks, as well as hygiene issues for that work.
Always a complex consideration, the VPA also made revised recommendations around compounding of medicines.
A separate appendix (Appendix 7) clarifies when VPA approval is required to carry on a separate business or activity within the pharmacy.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 01 Nov 19
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 01 Nov 19
