The Role Of The Deputy Accountable Pharmacist

Simbarashe Mavhunga14/04/2014

Key Words!! Aseptic Dispensing- is the preparation and supply of sterile medical

products, which require some dilution or other manipulation before administration.

Audit- is a planned and documented activity performed by qualified personnel to determine by investigation, examination, or evaluation of objective evidence, the adequacy and compliance with established procedures.

Quality Assurance - is any systematic process of checking to see whether a product or service being developed is meeting specified requirements

Risk Assessment- a careful examination of what in your work could cause harm to people, so you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm

Validation- Documentary evidence to show that a system, equipment or process will consistently perform as expected to a predetermined specification and will continue to do so.

Following the introduction of the Responsible Pharmacist Regulations amendment to the Medicines Act 1968 which came into the

effect on 1st October 2009 it has been decided nationally that the term Accountable

Pharmacist will be used to describe the pharmacist responsible for an Aseptic

Dispensing Unit.

The Role of the Deputy Accountable Pharmacist

Accountable Pharmacist- The pharmacist responsible for all aspects of the services within an aseptic preparation unit, whose duties include approval of all systems of work and documentation used in the unit.

Deputy Accountable Pharmacist- The pharmacist designated in writing by the Accountable Pharmacist to supervise the aseptic process and release the product of use.

Definitions

Organisational Structure- Aseptic Dispensing NHS Tayside

The Deputy to the Accountable Pharmacist should be a pharmacist with the appropriate level of training and knowledge in all aspects of aseptic preparation and dispensing.

This may be achieved by undertaking Scottish Stage II Vocational training or attending Aseptic Operational Management courses offered by a few Universities.

Experience

The primary role is to contribute to the development and delivery of a quality, patient focused aseptic service which optimises benefit and mitigates risk from aseptically prepared products.

The above is achieved by the deputy accountable pharmacist by through the following:

Risk Assessment and Process Design Documentation Quality Assurance and Maintenance Training Audit

Roles and Duties of the Deputy Accountable Pharmacist

Management of the aseptic unit in the absence of the Accountable Pharmacist, this management will include: Professional cover Supervision of the aseptic preparation and

dispensing processes Ensuring that the quality management systems in

place are fully adhered to

Above all ensuring that the unit is operating safely.

Roles and Duties of the Deputy Accountable Pharmacist

Influence prescribing behavior in medical and non-medical prescribers in regards to aseptically prepared products.

Actively contribute to uni, inter and multidisciplinary education and training within aseptic, so as to ensure individual and service needs are met.

Roles and Duties of the Deputy Accountable Pharmacist

Provide accurate checking and final release of products for all types of aseptic medication requests (Parenteral nutrition, chemotherapy, centralised intravenous additives) and resolve problems associated with these.

Respond appropriately to situations requiring urgent action for example drug alerts, injury in prep area, environmental monitoring anomalies.

Roles and Duties of the Deputy Accountable Pharmacist

Provides clinical and therapeutic advice to medical, nursing and other staff on the formulation and administration of parenteral medicines.

Obtain data on physical and chemical stability using the recommended resources and analyse such information to assign appropriate shelf lives to products.

Roles and Duties of the Deputy Accountable Pharmacist

“Do I believe in the concept of Zero Harm? Let’s just say I believe that nothing is impossible” – Dave Collins

Thank You