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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Verify prescription and customer details.
   • Follow organisational procedures for supplying prescription medicines throughout customer transaction.
   • Approach customer in a timely manner and accept prescriptions.
   • Check customer prescriptions for currency.
   • Confirm details of customer name, address, entitlements and age as appropriate.
   • Respect privacy and confidentiality of customer information.
2. Confirm customer prescription needs.
   • Identify and confirm items to be dispensed.
   • Provide brand substitution information according to organisational procedures, determine customer preference and obtain consent.
   • Recognise and refer prescription discrepancies and other situations to supervisor or pharmacist.
   • Advise customers of expected prescription preparation and delivery time.
   • Accurately record customer information for dispensing and lodge verified prescriptions.
3. Return prescribed medicines to customers.
   • Verify pharmacist has checked dispensed prescription items and check for correct medicines and quantities against prescription.
   • Verify correctness of dispensed items with customer and ensure customer or agent signs and dates prescription as confirmation of receipt.
   • Read and pass on messages from pharmacist and use questioning to confirm customer understanding.
   • Recognise customer need for additional assistance or therapeutic advice and refer to pharmacist.
   • Supply dispensed medicines in appropriate packaging.
   • Provide information on companion products required to effectively use medicines.
   • Retain filled prescriptions in nominated secure area.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and across a forty hour work period:

accept and process Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and other prescriptions and return dispensed medicines to customers

identify and interpret customer information and dispensing requirements for each of the following customer types:

agents acting on behalf of customers

concessional customers

customers without Medicare card

general customers

Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) customers.

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Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:

role boundaries and responsibilities of pharmacy and dispensary assistants when accepting prescriptions and returning dispensed medicines to customers

primary content of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare Australia system benefit rules:

customer eligibility and access

payments for general customers (without concessional cards) and concessional customers

supplying repeat prescriptions

organisational procedures for supplying prescription medicines:

accepting and delivering dispensed prescriptions; checking and documentation requirements

triggers for referral to supervisor or pharmacist

offering brand substitution

collecting and supplying information to an agent acting on behalf of a customer

maintaining privacy and confidentiality of customer information

filing dispensed prescriptions

privacy and confidentiality principles relevant to prescription transactions with customers

basic aspects of this range of prescription types:

Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS):

authority

concession

general

private

Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS)

types of providers that can issue

legal and valid format of prescriptions and required content

types of prescription discrepancies and how to respond:

incomplete or incorrect prescriber or customer details

out-of-date prescriptions

cancelled, dispensed and completed prescriptions

forged or altered information

written by prescriber for self-treatment

requests for excessive quantities

brand substitution information:

product costing policy reflecting brand price premiums and therapeutic premiums

meaning of the term ‘bioequivalent’ products as defined by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)

different types of packaging for prescription medicines and reasons for use:

opaque packaging

paper bags.

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