Pharmacist Suspended for 12 Months After Unprescribed Diazepam Supplies and Controlled Drug Failures
Date of Decision: February 7, 2018
Registrant's Role: Pharmacist
Allegations:
- Supplying or allowing the supply of diazepam to Patient A without valid prescriptions on several occasions.
- Supplying or allowing the supply of diazepam 2 mg tablets to Patient B without a valid prescription on one or more occasions between 15 September and 23 November 2015.
- Failing to endorse FP10MDA prescriptions when supplying medication to six patients, identified as Patients D–I, on dates referenced in schedules to the allegations.
- Failing to keep pharmacy records of supervised buprenorphine supplies for five patients, identified as Patients J–N, between 1 January and 30 September 2016.
- Failing to ensure that supplies of methadone ampoules, in the strengths recorded in the determination as 50 mg/1 ml and 10 mg/1 ml, were entered in the Controlled Drugs register between 27 May and 9 June 2016.
- Failing to ensure that supplies of methadone 5 mg tablets to Patient C were recorded in the Controlled Drugs register between 13–23 May and 26 May–9 June 2016.
- Failing to ensure that supplies of methadone 5 mg tablets to Patient E were recorded between 26 May and 2 June 2016.
- Failing to ensure that supplies of methadone 5 mg tablets to Patient A were recorded between 18–31 May 2016.
- Failing to ensure that Responsible Pharmacist logs accurately recorded departure times between 3 August 2015 and 28 May 2016.
- Receiving a police caution for failing to ensure the safe custody of controlled drugs. The impairment determination identifies the caution date as 22 October 2016.
- Failing to notify the GPhC Registrar of that caution within seven days.
Outcome: Suspension from the register for 12 months
GPhC Standards Breached:
- Standard 1.1 – Make sure the services you provide are safe and of acceptable quality.
- Standard 2.1 – Consider and act in the best interests of individual patients and the public.
- Standard 6.5 – Meet accepted standards of personal and professional conduct.
- Standard 6.6 – Comply with legal and professional requirements and accepted guidance on professional practice.
Case Summary
Allegations
A GPhC Fitness to Practise Committee suspended the registrant for 12 months following repeated failures involving unprescribed diazepam supplies, controlled drug records, supervised consumption documentation and the safe custody of returned medicines.
The case was heard on 7 February 2018. The registrant attended without legal representation and admitted every factual allegation. The Committee therefore found the facts proved by admission.
Continue Reading the Full Case
Create a free account or log in to access the complete case summary.
- Full allegations considered by the GPhC/PSNI
- Panel findings and reasoning
- Outcome of the investigation
- Sanctions considered and imposed on the Pharmacist
- Key professional learning points
Original Case Document
The original determination document is available to registered users.