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PHARM28.2016 Undertake the final accuracy check of dispensed medicines and products

Overview

This standard is about undertaking the final accuracy check for prescribed items which have been dispensed after a clinical check has been carried out. The final check is made prior to the items being released for issue. Your practice will be consistent with your occupational role and carried out under the regulatory, professional and ethical frameworks established in the context of current legislation. You will need to take a reflective approach to your work. You will work at all times within Standard Operating Procedures that relate to the way in which a pharmacy service is provided in your place of work. A caring and compassionate approach should be adopted in line with current healthcare guidance. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 2

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:
  1. the Standard Operating Procedures and the importance of adhering to them at all times
  2. the importance of working within the limits of your competence and authority, when to seek agreement or permission from others and when to refer on to an appropriate person
  3. current health and safety legislation and how it applies to the working environment
  4. legal, organisational and policy requirements relevant to your role, the role of others in your organisation and the activities being carried out
  5. the relevant national and local guidelines, policies and procedures that are available and how and when they should be accessed
  6. the importance of adhering to information governance policies and maintaining confidentiality when sharing information about individuals with others
  7. the duty to report any acts or omissions that could be detrimental to individuals, yourself, colleagues or your employer
  8. the different types of prescribers
  9. packaging and labelling requirements for medicines and products
  10. the procedures relating to:
    1. different types of medicines supply
    2. the validity of prescriptions
  11. how to identify near misses and dispensing errors
  12. causes and consequences of near misses and dispensing errors
  13. how to communicate errors to the appropriate person
  14. local and/or national error reporting procedures and communication channels
  15. methods of enabling effective communication and supporting individuals to communicate their needs, views and preferences
  16. the range of medicines and products that may be dispensed on each type of prescription form and reasons for limitations
  17. the importance of storage conditions and expiry dates
  18. ancillary equipment and supplementary information
  19. the different types of prescriptions or transcriptions
  20. how to ensure that calculations are correct
  21. the prescribing conventions, abbreviations and medical terminology
  22. the proprietary and generic names of medicines within your scope of practice
  23. how medicines are administered
  24. the use of medicines and the effect they have on basic human physiology
  25. different strengths, forms, doses and quantities of medicines
  26. the actions of medicines and products including drug interactions and contra-indications
  27. how to use patient medication records or other sources of information
  28. prescription endorsements in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures
  29. discharge policies relevant to your practice
  30. the importance of recording, storing and retrieving information in accordance with organisational procedures

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:
  1. work within the relevant Standard Operating Procedures including the relevant health and safety procedures and within your own limits of competence
  2. ensure that the prescription has had a clinical check by an appropriate person and has been assessed as suitable for dispensing
  3. check that the prescription is valid or has been validated, and is correctly endorsed or annotated
  4. perform a final accuracy check on each of the dispensed medicines / products according to Standard Operating Procedures
  5. annotate the product if required
  6. provide feedback to individuals when errors are identified and arrange for the error to be rectified/reported in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures
  7. ensure error records are maintained according to local policies and guidelines
  8. act within the limits of your authority and refer any problems to an appropriate person
  9. ensure that the appropriate medicine devices/sundry items to accompany the medicine or product have been provided with any relevant patient information leaflets
  10. place medicine or product in the appropriate packaging
  11. annotate the prescription appropriately and forward for appropriate issue
  12. complete all relevant documentation and store appropriately in accordance with legal and organisational requirements

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: HWB10 Products to meet health and wellbeing needs
PHARM28.2016 Undertake the final accuracy check of dispensed medicines and products
Final version approved February 2016 © copyright Skills For Health,
For competence management tools visit tools.skillsforhealth.org.uk