Unit 203 Assist in the supply of prescribed items 203.pdf · Unit 203 Assist in the supply of...

NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services award Underpinning Knowledge Manual

Element 1 Take in a prescriptionElement 2 Issue and deliver prescribed items

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Unit 203 Assist in the supply of prescribed items


Background

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The dispensary is one of the busiest areas within the pharmacy setting. It is where medicinesare dispensed for patients. Dispensaries are usually divided into two sections, or in someinstances there are two separate dispensaries, one for dealing with 'in-patient' requests and theother for dealing with 'out-patient' requests.

In-patientThe term 'in-patient' refers to patients that are receiving treatment on a ward within the hospital.Below are some of the types of 'in-patient' requests received in Pharmacy:

- Ward/department stock requests- Individual patient requests (ward pharmacist sheets)- Discharge medicines (medicines for patients to take home when they are discharged

from hospital).

Out-patientThe term 'out-patient' refers to patients that are seen by doctors in an out-patient clinic withinthe hospital. Some of the types of out-patient prescriptions received in pharmacy are:

- Standard out-patient prescriptions (from various clinics)- Casualty prescriptions (from the casualty department)- Private patient prescriptions (non NHS patients who pay the full cost of their treatment

including medication)

Day patientsThe term 'day patient' refers to patients who may be admitted for minor surgery or investigations.It may also apply to patients who attend hospital for regular treatments during daytime hours.Some types of prescriptions received in pharmacy are:

- Day surgery/cases- Mental health prescriptions- Day clinics

Receiving a prescription is the first stage in the dispensing process. In order for the dispensingprocess to continue, it is essential that all the necessary information is acquired and confirmedas correct at this stage. This must be done politely and discreetly, so that patient confidentialityis maintained at all times.

Issuing a prescription is the final stage of the dispensing process. It is important that the clientreceives the intended item, and all the relevant supplementary information, so that the medicine can beused as prescribed. Despatching or issuing the prescription is the last stage of the dispensing process.

When you despatch medicines confirmed as ready to be issued, you will be the last member ofpharmacy team to handle the prescription or the stock request. It will be your responsibility tomake sure that the correct prescription is issued to the correct and authorised customer, whichwill usually be a healthcare staff member.

Element 1 Take in a prescriptionElement 2 Issue and deliver prescribed items


Key words and concepts

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These definitions are provided to explain how key words and concepts are used in this unit

BNF British National Formulary

Client refers to the patient, the patient's representative e.g. carer, nurse, doctor or the customer.

Standard Operating these are referred to as SOPs and protocols or written procedures.Procedures They state the way your organisation requires tasks to be

carried out to ensure a quality pharmacy service is provided; this would include, for example how clients should be addressed, what questions to ask the client, how certain items should be labelled, who to check certain things with.

Valid the prescription must be legible, complete, and signed and dated by the appropriate prescriber. It must also meet the government's requirements in respect of payment and exemption of prescription charges, where applicable.


Knowledge and Understanding

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You must show that you know and understand:

For the whole unitK1 To ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety you should know and

The limits of your own authority and when to refer to a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.

K2 The importance of maintaining dispensary records including the use of the dispensary computer.

K3 The current relevant ethical and legal requirements that govern the dispensing and issuing of a prescription.

K4 That some clients will have special needs and how you would deal with them.

Receive prescriptions

K5 SOPs for receiving prescriptions and reasons for following them.

K6 Exactly what patient details are required on a prescription and why they are necessary.

K7 Current prescription charges, exemptions and how clients can claim refunds, including the use of official forms and prepayment certificates.

K8 Procedures for dealing with clients who have special needs e.g. those who are blind, deaf, clients with urgent prescriptions, mothers with young children etc.

K9 Current legislation relating to prescription charges and exemptions.

K10 The different types of prescriptions and when they are used.

K11 The transactional and administration procedures as required by government regulations and those that apply to your workplace.

Issue prescribed items

K12 The procedures and principles for issuing prescribed items and local SOPs that relate to this.

K13 The procedures for the delivery of prescribed items and the local SOPs that relate to this.

K14 Why it is important to confirm the client's identity.

K15 Why it is important to provide information on the storage of prescribed items.


Activities

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1. Find out where your dispensary procedures for receiving, charging and issuing prescriptions are kept. Read them and discuss key points with your Trainer/Assessor.

2. Ask your Trainer/Assessor to provide you with a variety of types of prescriptions.Identify and list any missing requirements. Review these with your Trainer/Assessor.

3. Work shadow a colleague receiving prescriptions.Observe the different situations that may affect a customer's manner. Discuss strategies with your Trainer/Assessor for dealing with difficult, upset and angry customers.

4. Attend your organisation's training on customer care and communication skills.Complete an evaluation form of what you have learnt. If you do not have these facilities within your organisation, with help from your Trainer/Assessor, use some of the training resources available from London Pharmacy Education and Training.Put any relevant information in your portfolio.

5. Discuss with your Trainer/Assessor the meaning of the term 'patient confidentiality'. Describe why is it important. Identify the consequences of breaching 'patient confidentiality'.

6. After training, ask your Trainer/Assessor to observe you receiving an agreed number of prescriptions. Discuss with your Trainer/Assessor how you dealt with this.

7. Describe how you would use your department's till and demonstrate this toyour Trainer/Assessor.

8. Find out the reasons why some patients pay for their prescriptions and some do not. Find out what proof of exemption should be shown for the list above.For patients who pay for their prescriptions, find out and record the currentNHS prescription charge.List any products that you use within your dispensary that require more than one prescription charge.Find out where you could find information on what prescription items canbe bought over the counter for less than the current NHS prescription charge.Find out why some medicines can be brought over the counter and whysome cannot.

9. Discuss with your Trainer/Assessor your local process for forwarding the received prescription for dispensing.Describe the order in which prescriptions are dispensed and explain why

some are given priority.Identify and list situations when a prescription would be dispensed as a priority in your dispensary.


Activities

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10. Discuss with your Trainer/Assessor any Health and Safety issues that may arise whilst receiving prescriptions, and how you would deal with them.

11. Identify and list the types of prescriptions that you are authorised to issue.

12. Collect the signatures of the designated staff in your dispensary that are able to perform the final accuracy check on dispensed medicines.

13. Identify and list common queries that you may be asked before or during issuing prescriptions. Discuss these with your Trainer/Assessor.

14. Work shadow a colleague issuing prescriptions. Observe the different types of customers who will be collecting the prescription and medicines according to your local procedures, e.g. healthcare assistants. Describe how you will confirm they are authorisedto collect prescriptions.

15. After training, get your Trainer/Assessor to observe you issuing prescriptions.

16. Discuss with your Trainer/Assessor the type of information that would need to be passed onto the customer collecting the prescription. Identify and list common queries that you may be asked before or during issuing prescriptions.

17. From your list above identify the type of queries that you would need to refer to other staff within your dispensary team.Identify and list the staff within your dispensary team who you could refer these queries to.Describe what you would do if a customer collecting a prescription asked you about the doses of the medicines on the prescription.

18. Find out what other types of completed paperwork you use locally when issuing prescriptions, e.g. To Follows, named patient medicine forms.Find out where this completed paperwork is filed.Keep copies in your portfolio.


Questions

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K1 The limits of your own authority and when to refer to a pharmacist or pharmacytechnician.

� What is your role and responsibility relating to the supply of prescribed items?

� What are the roles and responsibilities of the other members of your team who are involved in the supply of prescribed items?


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(continued)


� Under what circumstances would you refer to a pharmacy technician when supplying prescribed items?

� Under what circumstances would you refer to a pharmacist when supplying prescribed items?


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(continued)


� Which other healthcare professionals might you refer to when supplying prescribed items?

� Under what circumstances would you refer to these other healthcare professionals when supplying prescribed items?


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QuestionsK2 The importance of maintaining dispensary records including the use of the

dispensary computer.

� What dispensary records must be kept in your workplace?

� Why is it important to maintain these records?

� What could happen if these records were not maintained?

� What is your role and responsibility in maintaining these records?

� What are the roles and responsibilities of the other members of your team in maintaining these records?


140


QuestionsK3 The current relevant ethical and legal requirements that govern the dispensing

and issuing of a prescription.

� What are the current ethical and legal requirements that govern the dispensing andissuing of a prescription?

� What are the key points covered in these requirements?

� Why is it important that you follow these requirements?

� What could happen if you did not follow these requirements?


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(continued)

K3 The current relevant ethical and legal requirements that govern the dispensingand issuing of a prescription.

� For legal purposes, what information must be included on a prescription?

� Why is it necessary to include this information on a prescription?


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(continued)


� For legal purposes, what information must be included on a label?

� Why is it necessary to include this information on a label?


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(continued)


� What are the legal requirements regarding closures on medicine containers?


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QuestionsK4 That some clients will have special needs and how you would deal with them.

� Why is it important to establish the needs of your clients?

� What could happen if you did not do this?

� What can you do to ensure that you establish the needs of your clients?


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(continued)


� What special needs might your clients have?

� What can you do to ensure that you establish the requirements of your clients with special needs?

� What action should be taken when supplying prescribed items to clients with special needs?


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(continued)


� Under what circumstances would you deal with clients with special needs yourself?

� Under what circumstances would you refer a client with special needs to a pharmacy technician?

� Under what circumstances would you refer a client with special needs to a pharmacist?


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QuestionsK5 SOPs for receiving prescriptions and reasons for following them.

� What procedures are in place in your department and organisation for receiving prescriptions?

� What are the key points covered in these procedures?

� Why is it important that you follow these procedures?

� What could happen if you did not follow these procedures?


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QuestionsK6 Exactly what patient details are required on a prescription and why they are

necessary.

� What patient details are required on a prescription?

� Why is it necessary to include these patient details on a prescription?

� How can you ensure that these details are correct, whilst maintaining patient confidentiality?

� Why is it important to maintain patient confidentiality at all times?


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QuestionsK7 Current prescription charges, exemptions and how clients can claim refunds,

including the use of official forms and prepayment certificates.

� How much is the current prescription charge?

� According to your local procedures, what should you do if you receive a prescription but the client is unable to pay the prescription charge?

� How can clients claim a refund for prescription charges?

� Where could you find information on which over the counter (OTC) medicines can be bought for less than the current prescription charge?

� Where could you find information on how to calculate private prescription charges?


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(continued)


� How much is a current prepayment certificate?

� Under what circumstances would you advise clients to obtain a prepayment certificate?

� How can clients obtain a prepayment certificate?


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(continued)


� Which clients are exempt from paying prescription charges?

� What evidence must be provided by the clients who are exempt from paying prescription charges?

� What documentation must be completed by the clients who are exempt from paying prescription charges?


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QuestionsK8 Procedures for dealing with clients who have special needs e.g. those who are

blind, deaf, clients with urgent prescriptions, mothers with young children etc.

� What procedures are in place in your department and organisation for dealing with clients who have special needs?





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QuestionsK9 Current legislation relating to prescription charges and exemptions.

� What is the current legislation relating to prescription charges and exemptions?

� What are the key points covered in this legislation?

� Why is it important that you follow this legislation?

� What could happen if you did not follow this legislation?


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QuestionsK10 The different types of prescriptions and when they are used.

� What different types of prescription are used in your organisation?

� Under what circumstances are these different types of prescription used?

� What information must be included on a prescription?

� Why is it necessary to include this information on a prescription?


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QuestionsK11 The transactional and administration procedures as required by government

regulations and those that apply to your workplace.

� What transactional and administration procedures are in place in your organisation as required by government regulations?





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(continued)

K11 The transactional and administration procedures as required by government regulations and those that apply to your workplace.

� What additional local transactional and administration procedures are in place in your department?





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QuestionsK12 The procedures and principles for issuing prescribed items and local SOPs that

relate to this.

� What procedures are in place in your organisation and department relating to issuing prescribed items?





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(continued)

K12 The procedures and principles for issuing prescribed items and local SOPs thatrelate to this.

� What are your role and responsibilities in issuing prescribed items?

� What are the roles and responsibilities of the other members of your team in issuing prescribed items?

� Under what circumstances would you refer to a pharmacy technician when issuing prescribed items?


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(continued)

K12 The procedures and principles for issuing prescribed items and local SOPs thatrelate to this.

� Under what circumstances would you refer to a pharmacist when issuing prescribed items?

� Which other healthcare professionals might you refer to when issuing prescribed items?

� Under what circumstances would you refer to these other healthcare professionals when issuing prescribed items?


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QuestionsK13 The procedures for the delivery of prescribed items and the local SOPs that

relate to this.

� What procedures are in place in your organisation and department relating to the delivery of prescribed items?





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(continued)


� What are your role and responsibilities in despatching prescribed items for delivery?

� What are the roles and responsibilities of the other members of your team in despatching prescribed items for delivery?

� Under what circumstances would you refer to a pharmacy technician when despatching prescribed items for delivery?


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(continued)


� Under what circumstances would you refer to a pharmacist when despatching prescribed items for delivery?

� Which other healthcare professionals might you refer to when despatching prescribed items for delivery?

� Under what circumstances would you refer to these other healthcare professionals when despatching prescribed items for delivery?


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QuestionsK14 Why it is important to confirm the client's identity.

� Why is it important to confirm the client's identity when issuing prescribed items?

� What could happen if you did not confirm the client's identity when issuing prescribed items?

� How can you confirm the client's identity when issuing prescribed items, whilst maintaining patient confidentiality?


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QuestionsK15 Why it is important to provide information on the storage of prescribed items.

� What information should you give the client relating to storage of prescribed items?

� Why is it important to give the client this information?

� What information should you give the client relating to obtaining repeat supplies of prescribed items?



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(continued)


� What information should you give the client relating to the expiry date of prescribed items?


� What information should you give the client if there was an outstanding balance on one or more of their prescribed items?



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(continued)


� What other information should be provided when issuing prescribed items?

� How should this information be provided?


� Why is it important to check that the client understands the information provided?

� How can you check that the client understands the information provided?


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QuestionsUnderstand the importance of maintaining a clean working environment and equipment.(from the NVQ Level 2 Knowledge and Understanding Framework for unit 203)

� Why is it important to maintain a clean working environment and equipment?

� What could happen if a clean working environment and equipment was not maintained?

� What is your role and responsibility in maintaining a clean working environment and equipment?

� What are the roles and responsibilities of the other members of your team in maintaining a clean working environment and equipment?


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QuestionsAppropriate standards of behaviour and personal hygiene required for working in apharmacy.(from the NVQ Level 2 Knowledge and Understanding Framework for unit 203)

� What procedures are in place covering personal presentation and hygiene in your workplace?





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(continued)

Appropriate standards of behaviour and personal hygiene required for working in apharmacy.(from the NVQ Level 2 Knowledge and Understanding Framework for unit 203)

� What procedures are in place covering personal conduct in your workplace?




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