PHARM04 Provide advice on symptoms and the actions and uses of medicines

Overview

This standard covers providing advice on symptoms and the use of medicines. Your practice will be consistent with your occupational role and carried out under the regulatory and ethical frameworks established in the context of current legislation. You will work at all times within Standard Operating Procedures that relate to the way in which a pharmacy service is provided in your work place. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 1

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:

1. SOPs and the type and amount of information you are permitted to provide to individuals regarding:
1. their symptoms
2. their medicines
2. the legal responsibility and authority of the pharmacist and others in the organisation relevant to the provision of advice
3. legal and ethical requirements for confidentiality
4. the importance of preserving privacy when asking the individual questions about their symptom/medicines
5. the actions and uses of the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of disorders of body systems and clinical conditions
6. the main actions and side effects of the active ingredients of non-prescription medicines
7. the different classes of medicines
8. the use of questioning techniques such as 2WHAM
9. the needs of different types of individuals
10. the best sources of information to access
11. the information that is suitable to give individuals
12. the type of information/advice that needs to be referred to a pharmacist or pharmacy technician

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1. politely and promptly acknowledge requests for information and advice from individuals
2. respect individuals’ privacy, dignity, wishes and beliefs, minimising any unnecessary discomfort
3. use a questioning technique such as 2WHAM to ascertain the individual’s requirements and information needs
4. provide relevant, complete and up-to-date information and advice that is:
1. consistent with the SOP
2. at an appropriate level for the individual to understand
3. in the individual’s preferred format
5. confirm with the individual that:
1. they have understood the information you have provided
2. the information you have provided to them meets their requirements
6. identify when the request for information is beyond your competence and capability and refer the individual to a pharmacist or pharmacy technician
7. if this is the case, explain to the individual:
1. that you need to refer them to the pharmacist or pharmacy technician
2. why you need to refer them to the pharmacist or pharmacy technician
8. collate the information you have gathered and pass on to the appropriate pharmacist or pharmacy technician

Additional Information

This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health. This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004): Dimension: Core 1 Communication