Pharmacist’s Fitness to Practise Impaired Due to Record-Keeping Failures and Misconduct

Date of Decision: August 15, 2022

Registrant's Role: Pharmacist

Allegations:

• Failed to produce Private Prescription, Emergency Supply records, and CD registers during inspections.
• Kept pharmacy records at home, risking patient confidentiality.
• CD registers were not up to date, with discrepancies and missing entries.
• Failed to comply with improvement action plans and conditions imposed by the GPhC.

Outcome: Suspension (9 months)

GPhC Standards Breached:

• Standard 2: Provide person-centred care
• Standard 7: Respect and maintain the person's confidentiality and privacy
• Standard 8: Speak up when they have concerns or when things go wrong
• Standard 9: Demonstrate leadership

Case Summary

In a recent GPhC Fitness to Practise determination, a pharmacist was found to have impaired fitness to practise due to significant record-keeping failures and misconduct. The case involved multiple inspections where the pharmacist failed to produce essential pharmacy records, including Private Prescription records, Emergency Supply records, and Controlled Drug (CD) registers. These records were improperly kept at the pharmacist’s home, posing a risk to patient confidentiality. Despite being given improvement action plans and conditions to address these issues, the pharmacist failed to comply, leading to a suspension of nine months.

The allegations against the pharmacist were serious, involving repeated failures to maintain and produce accurate pharmacy records. During inspections, it was found that the CD registers were not up to date, with numerous discrepancies and missing entries. This misconduct was deemed to pose a potential risk to patients and public safety, as well as bringing the pharmacy profession into disrepute.

The GPhC determined that the pharmacist’s actions breached several professional standards, including those related to person-centred care, confidentiality, and leadership. The pharmacist’s failure to comply with previous conditions and lack of adequate remediation or insight into their misconduct further contributed to the decision to impose a suspension.

The determination emphasized the importance of maintaining accurate records and safeguarding patient confidentiality as fundamental principles of pharmacy practice. It highlighted the need for pharmacy professionals to demonstrate leadership and take responsibility for their actions to uphold public confidence in the profession.

For pharmacy professionals, this case serves as a reminder of the critical importance of adhering to professional standards and the potential consequences of failing to do so. It underscores the need for continuous professional development and the implementation of effective systems to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Original Case Document

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