THE Pharmacy Guild of Australia has put out a regulatory reminder that when a pharmacist dispenses a prescription for a Schedule 8 medicine, "they must either personally know the patient for whom the prescription is written or be familiar with the prescriber's handwriting".
"If neither of these requirements are met, the pharmacist must confirm the prescription by contacting the prescriber.
"If the pharmacist cannot contact the prescriber to confirm the prescription, the pharmacist may provide the patient with no more than two days' supply of the medicine, pending verification with the prescriber," shared the Guild.
It is also important that pharmacists understand and acknowledge how this supply should be recorded in the Drug Register, explained the Guild.
"The prescription should be dispensed and a quantity sufficient for two days' treatment should be supplied (appropriately labelled).
"The entry on the Drug Register must accurately reflect what happened.
"The quantity listed as leaving the pharmacy must be the quantity actually supplied at the time," explained the Guild.
"When and if the remaining supply is made, a second entry relating to the prescription must be made on the day of the second supply.
"For electronic prescriptions, it is not necessary for the pharmacist to contact the prescriber to verify the prescription," the Guild concluded.
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