GPhC Pharmacy Law & Ethics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the legal requirement for a Responsible Pharmacist to do when leaving the pharmacy premises?
- Display a notice showing another responsible pharmacist has been appointed or close the pharmacy (Correct answer)
- Inform all customers verbally
- Leave the prescription counter unattended temporarily
- Designate a pharmacy technician to supervise
Correct answer: Display a notice showing another responsible pharmacist has been appointed or close the pharmacy
Regulations require either displaying notice that a new RP has been appointed, or closing the pharmacy while the RP is absent for more than two hours.
Question 2: Under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, which practitioner can issue a Patient Specific Direction (PSD)?
- Any authorised prescriber for a named patient (Correct answer)
- Only a doctor for hospital use
- A pharmacist in community settings only
- A nurse only
Correct answer: Any authorised prescriber for a named patient
A Patient Specific Direction is a written instruction from a prescriber authorising another healthcare professional to supply or administer a medicine to a named patient.
Question 3: What is a Patient Group Direction (PGD)?
- A written instruction allowing specific healthcare professionals to supply medicines to patients meeting defined criteria without individual prescriptions (Correct answer)
- A prescription written for a group of patients
- A protocol for dispensing repeat prescriptions
- A direction from NHS England about prescribing
Correct answer: A written instruction allowing specific healthcare professionals to supply medicines to patients meeting defined criteria without individual prescriptions
PGDs allow named healthcare professionals to supply or administer specified medicines to patients in defined clinical situations without requiring a prescription for each individual.
Question 4: What is the maximum legal quantity of paracetamol that can be sold in a single transaction in a pharmacy (non-prescription)?
- 100 tablets (or equivalent) (Correct answer)
- 32 tablets
- 16 tablets
- Unlimited
Correct answer: 100 tablets (or equivalent)
In a pharmacy (as opposed to non-pharmacy retail), up to 100 paracetamol tablets (500 mg) can be sold in a single transaction, versus 32 in general sales.
Question 5: The GPhC principle 'Act with Professionalism and Integrity' includes which behaviour?
- Being honest even when mistakes occur (Correct answer)
- Only acting professionally when being observed
- Avoiding documentation of errors
- Prioritising business interests over patient safety
Correct answer: Being honest even when mistakes occur
Acting with integrity requires honesty and transparency at all times, including when things go wrong. This underpins patient trust and the open culture needed for safety learning.
Question 6: Which organisation produces the British National Formulary (BNF)?
- NICE and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (jointly published) (Correct answer)
- The GPhC
- NHS England alone
- The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Correct answer: NICE and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (jointly published)
The BNF is produced jointly by NICE and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. It provides prescribing, dispensing, and administration guidance for UK healthcare professionals.
GPhC Pharmacy Law & Ethics 3
What is the legal requirement for a Responsible Pharmacist to do when leaving the pharmacy premises?