Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to collect and verify customer prescription information; lodge scripts for dispensing; and return dispensed prescription items to customers on behalf of the dispensing pharmacist.
This unit applies to pharmacy and dispensary assistants working in community pharmacies. When supplying prescribed medications they work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist.
This unit incorporates the requirement for pharmacy assistants to comply with federal, state and territory law and Pharmacy Board of Australia Guidelines for supplying scheduled Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3). At the time of publication, they are not, however, required to hold an occupational licence or to be certified as competent in this unit to supply scheduled medicines.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Verify prescription and customer details. | 1.1.Follow organisational procedures for supplying prescription medicines throughout customer transaction. 1.2.Approach customer in a timely manner and accept prescriptions. 1.3.Check customer prescriptions for currency. 1.4.Confirm details of customer name, address, entitlements and age as appropriate. 1.5.Respect privacy and confidentiality of customer information. |
2. Confirm customer prescription needs. | 2.1.Identify and confirm items to be dispensed. 2.2.Provide brand substitution information according to organisational procedures, determine customer preference and obtain consent. 2.3.Recognise and refer prescription discrepancies and other situations to supervisor or pharmacist. 2.4.Advise customers of expected prescription preparation and delivery time. 2.5.Accurately record customer information for dispensing and lodge verified prescriptions. |
3. Return prescribed medicines to customers. | 3.1.Verify pharmacist has checked dispensed prescription items and check for correct medicines and quantities against prescription. 3.2.Verify correctness of dispensed items with customer and ensure customer or agent signs and dates prescription as confirmation of receipt. 3.3.Read and pass on messages from pharmacist and use questioning to confirm customer understanding. 3.4.Recognise customer need for additional assistance or therapeutic advice and refer to pharmacist. 3.5.Supply dispensed medicines in appropriate packaging. 3.6.Provide information on companion products required to effectively use medicines. 3.7.Retain filled prescriptions in nominated secure area. |
Evidence of Performance
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.
Evidence of Knowledge
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 ‘bio
different types of packaging for prescription medicines and reasons for use:
opaque packaging
paper bags.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a pharmacy with a designated front of pharmacy and operational dispensary area. This must be in an industry workplace, which meets Pharmacy Board of Australia and relevant industry standards for dispensary operations.
Assessment must ensure use of:
a diverse commercial product range of dispensed medicines
dispensed medicines with attached:
cautionary and advisory medicine labels
customer medicine labels with directions for use
a diverse range of real or fictitious, valid and fully completed prescription types:
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS):
authority
concession
general
private
Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS)
different types of packaging for prescription medicines:
opaque packaging
paper bags
current plain English guidelines issued by regulatory bodies covering Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare Australia system benefit rules
organisational procedures for supplying prescription medicines
customers with whom the individual can interact
pharmacists with whom the individual can interact.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisation’s requirements for assessors, and:
have worked in the pharmacy sector for at least two years.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Sectors
Community Pharmacy
Competency Field
Dispensary