South West Medicines Information
and Training
To check or not to
check – that is the
question?
Liz Fidler – Health Education Kent, Surrey
& Sussex
Ellen Williams – South West Medicines
Information & Training
Learning outcomes





Discuss the roles and responsibilities of
checking
Debating who can/should check
Debating the differences in checking in a
Dispensary V a technical services unit
Exploring the potential of transferability
between the two roles for rotational staff
Discuss the development of Pharmacy
Technician Product Approval in Technical
Services
Who can be a checker?
Responsible or Accountable –
you decide???
 In groups look at your scenario and
discuss who you think is


Responsible
Accountable
 Responsible

Professionalismregulatory/professional
body membership?
 Accountable



Legal – held to
account
Civil?
Regulator?
Debate – Technical ‘V’
Dispensary Checking
Common ground
 Need?



Transferability
Career progression
NHS Scoping exercise results
 What does that look like?

One qualification – theory




Checking procedure
Error reporting
Communication skills – error feedback (learning)
Law?
 Does this feel right?
 What do you think it should include?
Next step for pharmacy
technicians in technical
services….
Product Approval
The South West Product
Approval Pilot Project
South West Medicines Information & Training
Project Aim
 To develop and deliver a functional and high-
quality training programme for individuals who
carry out the task of “product approval” for
aseptic products.
 To develop and work within an operating
framework that ensured that pharmacist
supervision was in place.
 To address the training requirements of
pharmacists and registered pharmacy
technicians.
South West Medicines Information & Training
Background
 Pre and In process checking (since 2005)
◦
66 pharmacy technicians/ATOs are currently on the SWMIT register
 Feedback
◦
◦
Improved standards
Improved confidence
 Current Situation
◦
◦
◦
◦
Lack of training for rotational band 6/7 authorised pharmacists
Lack of confidence and understanding of responsibility when releasing a product
The need to train in restricted time frames
 There is a requirement to release products during the first three month rotation
Clinical issues are being picked up at the end of the process (at the point of product
approval)
South West Medicines Information & Training
What has been the
barrier to pharmacy
technicians product
approving and
releasing in technical
services historically?
A proposed Product Approval/Pharmacist Supervision
model
South West Medicines Information & Training
Methodology
Phase I
South West Medicines Information & Training
Methodology
Phase II
 Up to 100 products per site prepared under section 10 exemption
were recorded
 Details of the clinical screening, prescription verification,
preparation and product approval processes were documented
 Details of the product, pathway for product approval, trained
pharmacy technician approver or authorised pharmacist, and the
recommendations for approval and associated outcomes.
 All products approved by trained pharmacy technician product
approvers MUST have been second checked.
South West Medicines Information & Training
Results & Outcomes
Phase I
 17 learners recruited in 2 cohorts
 13 successfully met all of the assessment criteria to
demonstrate their skills, knowledge and competencies.
 Indicates the power of the assessment process to
discriminate between learners.
 Provides an appropriate degree of assurance that
individuals can perform the task of product approval at a
safe level and operate as “Accredited Product Approvers”.
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Phase II
 Data on over 500 individual preparations
 96% of products were clinically checked and verified prior to
preparation.


93% were suitable for release by an Accredited Product
Approver
 clinically checked and verified by an appropriate
pharmacist(s) prior to preparation
 the product itself was suitable.
3 discrepancies out of 193 products approved
 On review, these cases involved minor technical issues
and in no case would have impacted on patient safety.
 2 omitted additional “room temperature storage” labels
 1 incorrect worksheet (wrong dose band)
South West Medicines Information & Training
Implementation (1)
The new SW accreditation programme includes the following
components:
The unit would need…….
 Approval by Regional QA to incorporate Accredited Product
Approvers.
 Trust board, Senior Pharmacy manager and Accountable
Pharmacist authorisation for change in process.
 Regional QA approval of candidates selected.
 Participation in national error reporting scheme.
South West Medicines Information & Training
Implementation (2)
Trainees will require….
•
•
•
Completion of pre-course tasks and learning.
Two day training course.
Six week period of experience, supervised checking and
collection of evidence (at least 50 items). Missed errors
would require restart of this process.
• Summative practical and viva voce examination. Failure
would require re-sit or restart.
• Accreditation and commencement of probationary
period.
• Reaccreditation
First formal induction course ran 8th/9th May 2013
South West Medicines Information & Training
Next steps…
“The work of the NHS Aseptic Services Accreditation
Working Group will now focus on working with
members of the SW Product Approval Accreditation
Programme to develop a national framework to
support the wider roll out of this initiative.
This work stream will commence mid 2013.
It must be noted that the definition of supervision
cannot be considered in isolation and must be fully
supported by a framework that gives the same levels
of resource, governance and oversight that has been
incorporated into the South West Programme”
Richard Bateman, May 2013
Quality Assurance Specialist Pharmacist
East and South East England Specialist Pharmacy Services
Chair – NHS Aseptic Services Accreditation Working Group
For more information about the SW Product Approval
Accreditation Programme:
SWMIT Website:
www.swmit.nhs.uk
Or contact Ellen Williams
Ellen.williams@nhs.net
Acknowledgements
Thanks to members of the SW Product Approval Pilot Project regional
steering group and the NHS Aseptic Services Accreditations Working
Group for their support with the Product Approval project.
South West Medicines Information & Training
Summarise
 Views will be shared with NHS PEDC
task and finish groups
Any questions?