Empowering you to meet regulatory and best practice requirements

This month, the focus will be on the Scan to Accuracy Check (StAC) process, which is being rolled out to all our pharmacies. Your Patient Safety Champion will share with you some critical points in the StAC 
process and scenarios which highlight the potential consequences of not following the correct process. Please reflect on the factors that led to the incidents in the scenarios and how following the correct process could have prevented these. Please share with your Patient Safety Champion any ideas for SMART-ER actions to support patient safety in your pharmacy.

Please be mindful of the additional risks associated with medicines which have a narrow therapeutic index such as theophylline, colchicine and lithium. It is important to ensure that the dosing instructions, as well as the quantity of the medicine prescribed, are appropriate. The frequency of prescribing is also an important consideration and pharmacists must take any necessary steps to reassure themselves that any supplies are suitable. Appropriate counselling must also be provided. For further information, please see The Pharmacy Helpdesk Clinical Focus on NTI ‘high risk drugs’ which can be accessed here.

Freestyle Libre 2 and Freestyle Libre 2 Plus sensors are not interchangeable - when presented with a prescription for a Freestyle sensor, it is important to ensure that the appropriate item is supplied for the patient’s needs. Further information on Freestyle sensors can be accessed here.

The Chief Medical Officer Directorate (pharmacy and medicines division) issued an NHS circular on 17 September 2024 introducing revised directions regarding the drugs, medicines and other substances to be ordered by contractors in the provision of primary medical services under a general medical services contract. The changes detailed relate to Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) analogues and erectile dysfunction treatment. All stores should have received the NHS circular from their Health Board; please ensure this has been reviewed and that you are up to date with the current requirements. 

The Boots Prescriber Governance course is designed to help IPs attain their prescribing rights in Boots, understand the extent of their professional liability, and help prepare for and set up the private Boots Prescribing Service in their store. 

If you are an IP and not yet using your prescribing skills at Boots, please refer to the ‘Prescribing in Boots’ information available on BootsLive which can be accessed here. You can ask your line manager to nominate you using the Pharmacy Services nomination form. Once this has been processed, you will then be able to access the Boots Prescriber Governance course on your Boots Learning account within 10 working days. 

For further information on how to deliver prescribing services competently and confidently at Boots, please visit the Boots Prescriber Hub on BootsLive.

As we approach the peak time for vaccinating patients in the Winter Flu Jab service, please ensure all healthcare professionals offering vaccination services in your pharmacy are familiar with the safety materials in place and that:

• The poster, Dealing with a Needle Stick Injury, is on display in the consultation room
• The Safety Triangle: Preventing needlestick injury has been reviewed, is on display and is being followed during every consultation.