SIRCIND002
Support the supply of Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines


Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to source and use information on regulatory information and pharmacy compliance procedures so that requirements can be followed throughout customer transactions involving the supply of Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3). Requests for therapeutic advice or the supply of Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) must be referred to the pharmacist.

This unit underpins effective performance for pharmacy or dispensary assistant roles in a community pharmacy. When supplying Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) they work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist.

This unit incorporates the requirement for pharmacy and dispensary 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. Source and use information on compliance requirements for supplying scheduled medicines.

1.1.Obtain and interpret information on key legal requirements and industry guidelines for supply of Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) and products.

1.2.Obtain and interpret organisational procedures for supplying Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) scheduled items.

2. Establish requirements for product locations.

2.1.Identify common medicine categories for Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3).

2.2.Identify storage requirements for scheduled pharmacy items according to the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP).

2.3.Interpret requirements for product placement and advertising of Pharmacy Medicines (S2).

3. Determine requirements for assessing customer needs.

3.1.Interpret requirements for protecting and respecting customer privacy.

3.2.Determine what questions must be asked to collect information about customer needs.

3.3.Recognise requirement to refer all customer requests for Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) to pharmacist.

3.4.Identify other triggers for referral to pharmacist.

4. Identify role in supply of scheduled medicines.

4.1.Identify the importance of following organisational procedures for the supply of scheduled medicines.

4.2.Recognise role boundaries in recommending Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and unscheduled medicines, products, equipment and aids appropriate to customer needs.

4.3.Determine requirements for finalising supply of Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) and other products after pharmacist provision of therapeutic advice.

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:

obtain and interpret information about the scheduling of medicines from the following sources:

federal, state or territory departments of health

Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)

Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP)

industry association websites and professional publications

seek and document information on the following key pharmacy legal requirements for the supply of scheduled medicines:

product placement and advertising of Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) items in a pharmacy

storage requirements for Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3), Prescription Only Medicine (S4) and Controlled Drug (S8) scheduled items in a pharmacy

role boundaries and responsibilities of pharmacy and dispensary assistants

circumstances which require and trigger referral to a pharmacist

access and interpret this range of organisational procedures for supplying Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3):

questions that must be asked to collect information about customer needs

triggers for referral to a pharmacist

maintaining privacy and confidentiality of customer information.


Evidence of Knowledge

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

sources of information on scheduled medicines, legal and industry requirements:

federal, state and territory departments of health

Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)

Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP)

industry association websites and professional publications

Pharmacy Board of Australia

basic aspects of the system for scheduling medicines and the role of:

Advisory Committee in Chemicals Scheduling

Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling

Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in approving registration of new medicines

purpose of the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP) and basic features of these schedule types:

general sales medicines (unscheduled)

Pharmacy Medicine (S2)

Pharmacist Only Medicine (S3)

Prescription Only Medicine (S4)

Caution (S5)

Poison (S6)

Dangerous Poison (S7)

Controlled Drug (S8)

Prohibited Substance (S9)

reasons for determining scheduling especially quantities and concentration of active ingredients in packaged medicine

common medicine categories for Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3)

basic aspects of key federal and relevant state or territory legal requirements for the supply of Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) and products:

product placement and advertising of Pharmacy Medicines (S2) scheduled items in a pharmacy

storage requirements for Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) scheduled items in a pharmacy

role boundaries and responsibilities of pharmacy and dispensary assistants

storage requirements for other scheduled items commonly found in a pharmacy:

Prescription Only Medicine (S4)

Controlled Drug (S8)

basic aspects of industry guidelines for supply of Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) and products

Pharmacy Board of Australia guidelines and directives

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Professional Practice Standards – provisions relevant to the provision of non-prescription medicines and therapeutic devices

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Standards for the Provision of Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines in Community Pharmacy

typical schedule and content of pharmacy procedures for supplying Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines and their importance in managing compliance with the law:

questions that must be asked to collect information about customer needs

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

identifying and acting on triggers for referral to a pharmacist

maintaining privacy and confidentiality of customer information

privacy and confidentiality principles relevant to pharmacy product transactions with customers

typical schedule of questions asked to collect information about customer needs and their rationale:

who the product is for

their condition or symptoms

duration of symptoms

other existing health conditions

other medicines currently using

circumstances which require and trigger referral to a pharmacist and typical schedule of triggers:

customer who is:

a child under 2 years

an aged person

pregnant or breastfeeding

taking other medicines

customer has:

had the complaint for some time

other health conditions

used the product before but is not satisfied with its efficacy

customer appears to be:

sick

angry

confused

dissatisfied

uncertain

under the influence of drugs or alcohol

pharmacy assistant is unsure and needs confirmation of the medicine selected, even if the product has been requested by name

request for Pharmacist Only Medicine (S3)

roles of pharmacy and dispensary assistants in finalising the supply of Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) and other products after pharmacist provision of therapeutic advice:

providing or reiterating directions for product use and confirming understanding

recommending companion products or aids

providing supporting consumer information

processing the financial transaction.


Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in a pharmacy with designated front of pharmacy and dispensary areas. This can be:

an industry workplace

a simulated industry environment.

Assessment must ensure use of:

information technology hardware and software

online information systems

current guidelines, directives and standards, issued by government regulators or industry groups covering scheduling requirements and related legal compliance issues

current Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP) and amendments or plain English guidelines

organisational procedures for supplying Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3) and products.

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 in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement.

Reading skills to:

interpret both familiar and unfamiliar, and sometimes complex documentation.

Technology skills to:

use online information systems to search for regulatory and procedural information.


Sectors

Community Pharmacy


Competency Field

Working in Industry