Responsible Pharmacist

As you will be aware recent changes in legislation to the Medicines Act 1968 and The Health Act come into force on the 1st October 2009

The changes affect the requirement for a Responsible Pharmacist in charge of each pharmacy. From the 1st October 2009 any pharmacist who signs up as the Responsible Pharmacist will have new legal and professional responsibilities and will have statutory responsibility for the safe and effective running of the entire pharmacy (in so far as it related to medicines).

As working as a dedicated New Directions locum, how does this effect you?

Working as a locum pharmacist does not pose any differences to the requirements of the responsible pharmacist’s legislation and standards, as the responsibilities of a responsible pharmacist are equally applicable to locum pharmacists.

Here are the key points:

As a locum pharmacist:
• If you are contracted as the only pharmacist in the pharmacy then you are the responsible pharmacist

• If there is more than one pharmacist in the pharmacy then you need to clarify with the client what capacity you are being employed in e.g. the responsible pharmacist or second pharmacist

• Confirm the pharmacy procedures have been established

• Confirm where the pharmacy record and procedures are kept within the pharmacy

• Keep a diary of all locum bookings made (together with cancellations made either by you or the client) noting the days you were the responsible pharmacist

• A pharmacy that has been registered with the RPSGB for less than three years cannot have a responsible pharmacist who qualified with the Society by virtue of a qualification in pharmacy awarded in a relevant European State.

Our clients are in the process of issuing us with their specific records and procedures which we will forward to our registered locums in due course.
In the meantime if you require further guidance here are some useful links:
http://www.responsiblepharmacist.org
http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/pdfs/responsiblepharmacistbriefdocregs.pdf

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