Pharmacists overloaded
June 30, 2014
Pharmacists may be failing
to comply with Pharmacy Board
of Australia (PBA) guidelines with
relation to dispensing medicines
due to excessive workloads
requiring them to dispense above
the recommended rate, says the
PBA in its latest Communiqué.
Excessive workloads on
pharmacists contribute to workrelated
pressure and stress with
the potential to hinder the ability
of pharmacists to meet their
professional obligations such as
review of the patient’s medication
history and provision of medication
counselling, and may contribute
to the occurrence of dispensing
errors, the Board said.
The Board further reminded
pharmacists that “if dispensing
levels for a pharmacist are in the
range of 150-200 items per day,
trained dispensary assistants and/
or intern pharmacists should be
utilised, and if the dispensing
workload exceeds 200 items per
day, additional pharmacists or
dispensary assistants may be
required.”
Robotic and other automated
dispensing technologies also need
to be taken into account, said the
Board, also acknowledging that
workloads may vary from hour
to hour and day to day, and that
pharmacists may be required to
dispense above the recommended
rate in unforeseen circumstances.
The Communiqué places
the responsibility to manage
the pharmacist workload on
pharmacists themselves as well
as pharmacy managers, directors
of hospital departments and
pharmacy owners.
The Board has drafted revised
Guidelines for dispensing of
medicines and will be seeking
feedback from the industry over
the coming months, including
feedback on the proposed
guidance on ‘Pharmacists’
workloads’.
The Pharmacy Council of New
Zealand has had this issue in their
sights for some time and offers a
resource titled Workplace Pressures
in Pharmacy: Practical advice
for New Zealand pharmacists,
pharmacy staff and employers -
CLICK HERE to see the document.
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