PSI Irish Pharmacy Law & Ethics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 'fitness to practise' inquiry by the PSI can be initiated following a complaint about:
- Professional misconduct, poor performance or conviction of a criminal offence (Correct answer)
- A pharmacist being late for work only
- A minor pricing error only
- A patient disliking the pharmacist's manner
Correct answer: Professional misconduct, poor performance or conviction of a criminal offence
PSI fitness to practise proceedings are triggered by professional misconduct, poor professional performance, a criminal conviction, impairment due to health, or other prescribed grounds under the Pharmacy Act 2007.
Question 2: Emergency supply of prescription-only medicines without a prescription is permitted in Ireland when:
- A pharmacist is satisfied immediate treatment is necessary and the patient has previously been prescribed the medicine (Correct answer)
- The patient requests any prescription medicine urgently
- A CD is requested for a known patient
- The patient has a repeat prescription from abroad only
Correct answer: A pharmacist is satisfied immediate treatment is necessary and the patient has previously been prescribed the medicine
Irish pharmacy law allows pharmacist-initiated emergency supply for POMs (not Schedule 1/2 CDs) when the pharmacist judges it is immediately necessary, the patient has had it prescribed before, and a follow-up prescription will be obtained.
Question 3: Which Irish legislation governs data protection in healthcare, including patient medication records?
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Acts 1988–2018 (Correct answer)
- Pharmacy Act 2007 alone
- Freedom of Information Act 2014
- Health Information Bill
Correct answer: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Acts 1988–2018
GDPR (as enacted in Ireland via the Data Protection Acts) governs all processing of personal data including health data. Pharmacies must have lawful basis for processing, maintain records and comply with subject access rights.
Question 4: Under Irish law, which class of prescription is a 'non-renewable' prescription?
- A prescription that may only be dispensed once and not repeated without a new prescription (Correct answer)
- Any controlled drug prescription
- A GMS prescription only
- A hospital outpatient prescription only
Correct answer: A prescription that may only be dispensed once and not repeated without a new prescription
A non-renewable prescription may only be dispensed on one occasion. The prescriber must explicitly mark a prescription as repeatable if repeat dispensing is intended.
Question 5: The Irish National Immunisation Office recommends pharmacists administer which vaccine directly to eligible adults?
- Influenza vaccine (Correct answer)
- BCG vaccine
- MMR vaccine only to children
- Yellow fever vaccine
Correct answer: Influenza vaccine
Community pharmacists in Ireland are authorised to administer influenza vaccines to eligible adults under a national protocol. This expanded pharmacist role has significantly increased flu vaccination rates.
Question 6: The Tobacco Control legislation in Ireland prohibits pharmacies from:
- Selling tobacco products (Correct answer)
- Selling nicotine replacement therapy
- Counselling patients on smoking cessation
- Dispensing varenicline
Correct answer: Selling tobacco products
The Public Health (Tobacco) Acts prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies. Pharmacies are dedicated health facilities and the legislation recognises that selling tobacco is incompatible with their role.
PSI Irish Pharmacy Law & Ethics 3
A 'fitness to practise' inquiry by the PSI can be initiated following a complaint about: