GPhC Dispensing Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient requests a repeat dispensing of their regular atorvastatin. The repeat dispensing authorisation has expired. What should the pharmacist do?
- Dispense one more supply as a courtesy
- Make an emergency supply to cover the patient while they obtain a new prescription or repeat dispensing authorisation from their GP (Correct answer)
- Refuse any supply and tell the patient to see their GP
- Continue dispensing from the expired authorisation
Correct answer: Make an emergency supply to cover the patient while they obtain a new prescription or repeat dispensing authorisation from their GP
An expired repeat dispensing authorisation cannot be used. However, to ensure continuity of treatment for a long-term medicine, the pharmacist can consider making an emergency supply at the patient's request (under Human Medicines Regulations 2012) while advising them to obtain a new authorisation from their GP promptly.
Question 2: When labelling a dispensed medicine, which of the following is a legal requirement under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012?
- The pharmacy's telephone number
- The name of the medicine, directions for use, and the patient's name (Correct answer)
- Only the name of the medicine
- The prescriber's qualifications
Correct answer: The name of the medicine, directions for use, and the patient's name
The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 require dispensed medicine labels to include: the patient's name, the name of the medicine, directions for use, the date of dispensing, the pharmacy name and address, and any specific warnings. Additional items like 'keep out of reach of children' are best practice.
Question 3: A pharmacist is assembling a monitored dosage system (MDS/blister pack) for a care home resident. One of the medicines is amlodipine, which the BNF states is light-sensitive. What should the pharmacist consider?
- Light sensitivity is irrelevant once tablets are in blister packs
- The stability of amlodipine outside its original packaging — light-sensitive medicines may not be suitable for MDS systems without appropriate precautions (Correct answer)
- All medicines are suitable for MDS regardless of their properties
- Only liquid medicines are affected by light sensitivity
Correct answer: The stability of amlodipine outside its original packaging — light-sensitive medicines may not be suitable for MDS systems without appropriate precautions
Not all medicines are suitable for MDS systems. Light-sensitive, moisture-sensitive, or hygroscopic medicines may degrade when removed from original manufacturer packaging. The pharmacist must assess suitability, consider stability data, and may need to supply certain medicines separately in their original packaging alongside the MDS.
Question 4: A patient brings in a prescription marked 'RP' (repeat prescribing). How many times can the pharmacist dispense from this single prescription?
- Once only
- Up to the number of repeat issues authorised by the prescriber on the prescription (Correct answer)
- Unlimited times within 12 months
- Twice — original plus one repeat
Correct answer: Up to the number of repeat issues authorised by the prescriber on the prescription
Repeat dispensing allows a prescriber to authorise multiple issues on a single prescription. The number of repeats is specified by the prescriber (typically 6-12 monthly issues for stable long-term conditions). Each issue must be dispensed within the specified interval, and the pharmacist must clinically check at each dispensing.
Question 5: When dispensing an owing (incomplete supply), what must the pharmacist ensure?
- Nothing special is required — just give the rest when stock arrives
- Record the quantity owed, mark the prescription, inform the patient, and supply the balance from the same prescription within a reasonable timeframe (Correct answer)
- Issue a new prescription for the remaining quantity
- Only complete owings for controlled drugs
Correct answer: Record the quantity owed, mark the prescription, inform the patient, and supply the balance from the same prescription within a reasonable timeframe
When a full quantity cannot be supplied, the pharmacist should record the owing, endorse the prescription with the quantity supplied and quantity owed, inform the patient when to collect the balance, and ensure the remaining quantity is supplied within a reasonable time from the same prescription. Good practice includes maintaining an owings register.
Question 6: A pharmacist receives a faxed copy of a prescription for a non-controlled drug. Under what circumstances can they dispense from this fax?
- Faxed prescriptions can always be dispensed as they are legally valid
- A faxed prescription is not legally valid — it may be used to begin preparation, but the original signed prescription must be received before the medicine is supplied to the patient (Correct answer)
- Faxed prescriptions are only valid for hospital patients
- Faxed prescriptions are valid if the pharmacist recognises the prescriber's signature
Correct answer: A faxed prescription is not legally valid — it may be used to begin preparation, but the original signed prescription must be received before the medicine is supplied to the patient
A faxed prescription is not a legal prescription. The pharmacist may use it to begin the dispensing process (selecting, labelling, preparing) to save time, but the original signed prescription must be received and checked before the medicine is handed to the patient. This ensures the legal requirement for an original signature is met.
GPhC Dispensing Practice 2
A patient requests a repeat dispensing of their regular atorvastatin.
The repeat dispensing authorisation has expired.
What should the pharmacist do?