Pharmacy

The Responsible Pharmacist - DH Consultation

This consultation paper sets our proposals for the content of the Responsible Pharmacist Regulations that follow on from changes to the Medicines Act 1968 through the Health Act 2006. There is a statutory requirement on Ministers to consult on changes to the Medicines Act.

Because High Street chemists feel that dispensing medicines to patients is demeaning (which after all is the reason they exist in the first place) the government is helping them out by concocting new and, it must be said, superfluous tasks for them in the community.   However, to be able to take advantage of these a large hurdle must be overcome - supervision.  That is what the above consultation is all about.

Some of the proposals made by government include:

The chemist must not be absent from the shop for more than 50% of the time
That should not be more than 3 hours
He should have some contact with the pharmacy and return promptly when needed
He should have some vaguely defined experience (In what, might I ask?  Meddling in GP treatments?)
He may be responsible for two pharmacies !!!!

(27/11/07)