Supply of Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines Policy

Purpose. This policy sets how the Marketplace Community Pharmacy supplies scheduled medicines, what pharmacy assistants can and cannot do, and how patient privacy is protected in the dispensary and front of shop.

1.Legal framework

The pharmacy operates under the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Victoria), the Poisons Standard schedules and the Pharmacy Board of Australia guidelines on the supply of scheduled medicines. The pharmacist on duty is responsible for every supply of a Pharmacy Medicine and a Pharmacist Only Medicine.

2.Scope of pharmacy assistants

Pharmacy assistants will assist customers with Pharmacy Medicines using the pharmacy's protocol questions and will refer any request outside the protocol, any request for a Pharmacist Only Medicine and any customer with symptoms that suggest a serious condition to the pharmacist. Pharmacy assistants will not recommend a scheduled medicine for a child under two, a pregnant or breastfeeding customer or a customer taking other medicines without the pharmacist's involvement.

• Ask who the medicine is for
• Ask about symptoms, their duration and any treatment tried
• Ask about other medicines and medical conditions
• Check the protocol for the product category
• Refer to the pharmacist when the protocol requires

3.Pharmacist only medicines

Pharmacist Only Medicines will be stored behind the dispensary counter and supplied only after the pharmacist has spoken with the customer and recorded the supply where the regulations require. Quantities will be limited to the therapeutic need and repeat requests within a short period will be reviewed by the pharmacist.

4.Dispensing

Prescriptions will be dispensed by or under the direct supervision of the pharmacist, with a second check of the patient, drug, dose, form, quantity and directions before supply. Dispensary assistants will enter prescriptions, prepare labels and assemble stock but the pharmacist will complete the final check and the counselling. Dose administration aids will be packed to the pharmacy's checking procedure.

5.Privacy

Patient and prescription information is health information under the Privacy Act 1988 and Victorian health records law. Conversations about medicines will take place at the private counselling area where the customer wishes. Dispensary screens will face away from customers, records will be accessed only for the purpose of supply and no information will be disclosed to a third party without the patient's consent or a legal requirement.

6.Refusal of supply

Where the pharmacist declines to supply a medicine, the pharmacy assistant will support that decision, will not offer the product from another location and will record the refusal where the pharmacist directs. Suspected misuse will be recorded in the pharmacy quality system and reported as the regulations require.

7.Infection control

Team members providing health checks, vaccinations support or needle and syringe program services will follow the pharmacy's infection control procedure, including hand hygiene, gloves, sharps disposal and cleaning of the consultation room between clients.