Pharmacist Warned for Falsifying Controlled Drugs Register Entry Involving Oxycodone

Allegations
The case centred around the registrant’s conduct while serving as the Responsible Pharmacist at a community pharmacy. A referral was made to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) following an internal investigation by the registrant’s employer. The investigation uncovered that the registrant had made a deliberate false entry in the Controlled Drugs (CD) register concerning Oxycodone 10mg tablets. Specifically, there was a discrepancy of 56 tablets. To conceal the shortfall, the registrant amended the register to reflect that a patient had been dispensed 112 tablets, when in fact only 56 had been supplied. This act of falsification was intended to cover up the missing stock rather than address the root cause of the discrepancy.

Findings
During a local level inquiry, and subsequently in his formal response to the GPhC, the registrant admitted to the dishonest act. He acknowledged that he had altered the CD register entry to hide the error rather than escalate or resolve the issue properly. This admission of dishonesty was a key element of the panel’s findings, reinforcing the seriousness of the misconduct.

The panel determined that the registrant’s actions constituted a clear breach of multiple professional standards. The falsification of a CD register—a legally required document used to monitor and audit the use of high-risk, controlled medications—poses significant risks. It compromises the safety and accountability systems designed to prevent misuse or diversion of controlled substances.