GPhC Dispensing Practice & Controlled Drugs 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'Monitored Dosage System' (MDS) refer to in pharmacy dispensing?
- A compliance aid where medicines are pre-packaged in individual compartments by day and time (Correct answer)
- An electronic prescription system
- A system for ordering medicines from wholesalers
- A method for recording controlled drug transactions
Correct answer: A compliance aid where medicines are pre-packaged in individual compartments by day and time
MDS (e.g., Dosette boxes, Nomad trays) organises medicines into daily/weekly compartments to aid patient compliance, typically used for elderly or cognitively impaired patients.
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT a legal requirement on an NHS FP10 prescription form?
- The patient's NHS number (Correct answer)
- Patient's name and address
- Prescriber's signature
- Date of prescribing
Correct answer: The patient's NHS number
The NHS number is not a legal prescription requirement, though it is increasingly used for identification. Legal requirements include patient name/address, drug, dose, quantity, prescriber signature, and date.
Question 3: What is the correct way to store morphine sulphate tablets in a community pharmacy?
- In a locked, fixed Schedule 2 CD cabinet (Correct answer)
- In the pharmacy fridge
- On open shelves if labelled clearly
- In a separate room away from the dispensary
Correct answer: In a locked, fixed Schedule 2 CD cabinet
Schedule 2 CDs must be stored in a locked, fixed-to-structure cabinet that meets the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973 specifications.
Question 4: A dispensary receives a FP10MDA prescription for supervised methadone consumption. What does 'MDA' indicate?
- Instalment dispensing prescription for controlled drugs (Correct answer)
- Standard FP10 for any medication
- Medical Device Authority approval
- Multi-drug administration
Correct answer: Instalment dispensing prescription for controlled drugs
FP10MDA prescriptions are used for instalment dispensing of controlled drugs (typically methadone or buprenorphine in addiction treatment), specifying how frequently doses should be dispensed.
Question 5: When dispensing a Controlled Drug, what must be recorded in the CD Register?
- Date, name and address of person supplied, name and quantity of drug, and form supplied (Correct answer)
- Only the drug name and quantity
- Only the patient's name and the prescriber's details
- Only the date and drug name
Correct answer: Date, name and address of person supplied, name and quantity of drug, and form supplied
The CD Register entry must include: date of supply, name and address of person/patient, drug name, strength, form, and quantity supplied. Entries must be in ink and not erased.
Question 6: A patient presents a prescription for 28 days' supply of tramadol. In which Misuse of Drugs Schedule is tramadol classified?
- Schedule 3 (Correct answer)
- Schedule 2
- Schedule 4
- Schedule 5
Correct answer: Schedule 3
Tramadol was reclassified as a Schedule 3 CD in 2014. It requires a CD prescription but does not require a CD register entry. Safe custody is required.
GPhC Dispensing Practice & Controlled Drugs 1
What does 'Monitored Dosage System' (MDS) refer to in pharmacy dispensing?