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Council News December 2020
Council Message
In our final newsletter in what has been a unique and challenging year, we say farewell to Paul Sinclair AM who leaves the Council after being a member for the last 9 years – read the interview with Paul in this edition.
We also wish everyone of you a safe and happy holiday season, and hope you all manage to get a well-earned break with your families and friends.
Dr Joyce Cooper
President
Practical Tips - Applying the Legislation
In this section of Council News we will help you apply the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation in your practice.
'Quantity and Purpose'
Six clauses in the NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 prohibit the prescribing and supply of scheduled medicines “in a quantity, or for a purpose, that does not accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances”. Three of these relate to supply. Do you know your obligations?
In conversation with former Council member
Paul Sinclair AM
Paul Sinclair was first registered as a pharmacist in 1981 and owned community pharmacies in south west Sydney, southern highlands and the central coast during 1981 to 2017.
Paul’s professional activities also included as Past President NSW Branch Pharmacy Guild of Australia and National Vice President Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Past Chair Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacists. In 2019, Paul was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia AM for his services to pharmacy, the community and local government.
Paul's contributions as a Council member over the last 9 years have been instrumental in the ever changing regulation of pharmacists and pharmacies. His commitment to the profession will be long remembered.
Case Study - Near Miss
A regular customer arrived to collect her repeat prescriptions which had been ordered through an app several days previously. This customer was a pharmacist who used to work at the pharmacy and was well known to the staff by her first name. The shop assistant greeted her by name and went to collect the medications which were in a small basket.
As the items were taken from the basket, she noticed a medication which she had not been prescribed...
Key Questions:
- Why did this happen?
- How could this have been avoided?
- What could or should have been done differently?
- How was the error picked up?
- Does your pharmacy have procedures in place to prevent this happening?
- Could this happen to you?
‘Where can I find this information?
‘I didn’t know this guidance was available to me’
‘I have never seen that advice before’
These are phrases we hear repeatedly when speaking to pharmacists.
When a concern has been raised in the form of a complaint we work with the pharmacist/s to establish what has occurred and how to prevent something similar from reoccurring. A message we keep hearing from pharmacists is they are not exactly sure what their obligations are and have little idea on where to find out.
The regulatory framework for pharmacy practice outlines the obligations of a pharmacist and is something all pharmacists need to be aware of.
To finish off 2020 we have put together a summary of relevant resources that are freely available to all pharmacists.
From the Inspectors
And we do care about you....
Amidst the turmoil of bush fires and the COVID pandemic, your Pharmacy Council Inspectors have attempted to emulate the aspirations of the US Postal Service, that is, always getting through.
Apart from a six week period in April/May when your previously “Senior” (venerable) inspectors, became “Elderly” (vulnerable) and subject to “self-isolation”, our services continued unabated – checking the stirring rods and funnels and the required dispensary equipment, all the time attempting to avoid “hot spots” as they arose.
Consequently, some of you may not have been visited as regularly as in previous years.
Office Shutdown Information
The office of the HPCA will be closed from Friday 25 December 2020 and will reopen on Monday 11 January 2021.
Our staff will continue to process urgent complaints during this period. Ownership applications and less urgent matters may not be dealt with until the week beginning Monday 11 January 2021.
Completed ownership applications must be lodged by email only at
HPCA-Pharmacycouncil@health.nsw.gov.au
Each attachment must be clearly titled; for example: lease, partnership agreement. This will greatly assist us to identify the documents and assess your application.
These dates should be brought to the attention of the applicant’s legal and financial advisers and taken into consideration when arranging settlement of contracts, inspection of premises and submission of documents.
Schedule 8 Holiday Reminder
It is an offence under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 for a pharmacist to supply a drug of addiction on prescription unless he or she is familiar with the handwriting of the person who issued the prescription, or knows the person for whom the drug is prescribed, or has verified that the person who is purported to have issued the prescription has actually issued the prescription.
Pharmacists should be aware that there have been reports of scams, in particular requesting doctors to verify the days/hours they will be closed over the Christmas/ New Year period. Extra caution should be taken when a doctor’s surgery is closed and contact cannot be made.
If a pharmacist is unable to verify the prescription in the manner stated, he or she can only supply a drug of addiction on prescription in a quantity sufficient for no more than 2 days’ treatment.
Answers to October CPD Quiz
Our October edition of Council News included an article about Continuing Professional Development.
To review the article again or to check your answers to the quiz:
Message from Customer Service NSW
The NSW Government expands the use of the Digital Driver Licence
The NSW Government recently passed legislation that expands the use of the Digital Driver Licence (DDL), allowing more industries than ever before in NSW and interstate to accept it as proof of age and identification.
What does this mean for the pharmaceutical industry?
The recent amendments to the Road Transport Act 2013 give the DDL the same legal status as the plastic Driver Licence in NSW.
This means that pharmacists can now accept the DDL as proof of identity for customers purchasing products containing pseudoephedrine.
How to check a Digital Driver Licence
The Digital Driver Licence contains multiple features which confirm it is authentic and current, ensuring that checkers are viewing the most up-to-date card holder information.
To ensure that pharmacists and their staff are ready to accept the DDL, we encourage you to visit the Service NSW website, and familiarise yourself with the information provided for checkers, including the following guides:
You can also promote your acceptance of the DDL by printing and displaying the ‘Digital Driver Licence accepted here’ poster in your pharmacy.
Recent NSW Tribunal Decisions
Finding: Professional misconduct. Decision: reprimand. Conditions on registration imposed requiring practice under supervision and not to work as a pharmacist in charge for 12 months or such longer period determined by the Pharmacy Council of NSW.
Finding: Professional misconduct. Decision: Registration cancelled. Disqualified from being registered as a pharmacist for 4 years
Finding: Unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct. Decision pending
Finding: Unsatisfactory professional conduct. Decision: Registration cancelled. Disqualified from being registered as a pharmacist for 2 years. Prohibition order: Prohibited from providing pharmaceutical services.
December useful links
NPS MedicineWise video:
How to have effective conversations with patients about opioids and chronic non-cancer pain
If you would like to provide feedback or make a complaint about our administrative and business processes using our online form or by emailing us at mail@hpca.nsw.gov.au
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