CD Register Falsifications Lead to 12-Month Conditions: Pharmacy Technician Sanctioned After Suspension Review

Allegations
This review concerned a sustained pattern of falsifying and retrospectively altering Controlled Drug (CD) registers across multiple Schedule 2 medicines—opioids (morphine sulfate MST 10mg, 15mg, 60mg; oxycodone as Longtec/Shortec) and stimulants (methylphenidate as Xaggitin XL, Medikinet/Tranquilyn)—with repeated “balance checks” certified as correct immediately after inaccurate entries. The conduct included invented stock receipts (e.g., +132 MST 10mg; +120 MST 10mg; +48 MST 10mg; +56 MST 15mg), fabricated supplies and returns (Longtec to a patient who had not received it since March 2021; Xaggitin XL to a patient who had moved), and back-calculated dispensing quantities (Shortec 5mg “21 not 42”) to force the running balance to match the physical count. Several amendments were made without a witness, contrary to expected CD governance, and implausible pack sizes were used (e.g., adding 56 MST 15mg when the pack size was 60), all pointing to register manipulation to make figures “fit” rather than to accurately record lawful receipt and supply.

Findings
At the principal hearing in May 2025, the registrant admitted Allegations 1–15 and accepted that the entries were misleading, though initially disputed dishonesty; dishonesty was found proved on Allegation 16 using the standard test. There was no suggestion of personal financial gain, but the volume, duration and pattern of behaviour—persisting until discrepancies were uncovered—amounted to serious misconduct undermining the integrity of the CD register, with attendant risks: incorrect patient supplies and potential diversion outside the lawful supply chain. The committee expressly found breaches of Standards 2, 3, 5 and 8 of the GPhC Standards for Pharmacy Professionals, noting that failing to have amendments witnessed compounded concealment. As the panel put it: