To listen to Jag and Paul from the Pharmacy Support Helpdesk discuss the content of this section, scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Empowering you to meet regulatory and best practice requirements 

All pharmacy team members are reminded of the importance of adhering to all legal and Company Controlled Drugs (CD) requirements. In particular, we have recent cause to emphasise the following points:

In England, Wales and Scotland, the CD cabinet keys must be kept on the pharmacist’s person at all times during the pharmacy’s opening hours, although keys can be given to suitably trained members of the pharmacy team to allow dispensing or putting away CD stock. In Northern Ireland, keys must be kept on the pharmacist's person at all times unless the timer on the time delay CD safe is activated.

A physical stock count, balance check and entry in the appropriate section of the CD register is required each time a Schedule 2 CD is received or supplied. This stock count requires identifying AND physically counting:

• All stock available to dispense
• Dispensed stock awaiting collection
• Any stock that has been segregated because it has passed its expiry date and is awaiting destruction.

The weekly balance check of all Schedule 2 CDs must also include the same physical count of any stock in the CD cabinet (i.e. any stock in each of the above categories). 

Full details of all CD requirements are available on BootsLive here.

We have developed some guidance to support with the digital SOP compliance activity. The MyHub section on BootsLive contains a video on how to use the SOP dashboard, an SOP completion look-up table (enabling stores to see which SOPs apply to each job role) and an archive/unarchive process one-pager. Please continue to contact the MyHub team on the One Number (0115 957 5555), options 2 then 8, for support with any access issues.

The GPhC has published new equality guidance for pharmacies, which is designed to help tackle discrimination and make sure that everyone can access safe and effective person-centred care: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/sites/default/files/document/gphc-equality-guidance-for-pharmacies-december-2022_0.pdf.
The new guidance has relevance for all the pharmacy team. 

All Boots pharmacies should be set up to deliver the Boots Palliative Care Service, and should routinely hold in stock the items in the formulary, where available. For stores in England, the Boots formulary mirrors the list of critical end-of-life medicines that stores must hold to claim for the ‘Addressing unwanted variation in care’ domain of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme. Further information is available in the September 2021 issue of The Professional Standard, available on BootsLive here.

Remember the Boots Prescription Stock Checker, which is available on Boots.com, can be used to support patients to identify which Boots pharmacy has the required item(s) in stock.

Pharmacy team members are uniquely placed to talk to immunosuppressed patients about recommended vaccines. Messages to convey to patients when supplying immunosuppressive medicines include that:

• The medicine reduces the protection against infection and, because of this, you are eligible for an NHS flu vaccination as well as a seasonal booster as part of the COVID-19 vaccination programme
• Vaccinations are important to protect you from serious illness so it’s important to have them when invited. In addition, people you live with can help protect you by receiving their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.