Does registration in any state or territory of Australia mean I can gain registration throughout Australia?
Under Mutual Recognition provisions a registered pharmacist free of any outstanding orders in one state or territory can register in any other state or territory following the completion of the appropriate form and the payment of a nominated fee.
What is the extent of "real world experience of pharmacy" represented by the membership on the Pharmacy Board of South Australia?
The Pharmacy Practice Act of 2007 determines that the Governor appoints the eight Board members, three of whom are nominated by the Minister of the day and five of whom are nominations of the peak representative bodies for pharmacy. The current Board has five members who are practising pharmacists with approximately one hundred years of community pharmacy experience and thirty years of hospital pharmacy experience allowing for confidence that there is the necessary experience to understand the environment and issues confronting pharmacists on a daily basis.
What are the common causes for the raising of complaints with the Pharmacy Board of South Australia by consumers of South Australia?
The most common cause for complaints by consumers is alleged errors in dispensing medicines. This is likely, given dispensing currently forms a significant proportion of a pharmacists daily activities. The Board takes great pains to point out to all pharmacists that it expects an impeccable standard of dispensing medicines.
A complaint will see the Board establish the events surrounding the subject of the complaint and any factors that may have contributed to it. A report is prepared and where appropriate, action is considered and implemented by the Board in cooperation with the pharmacist and pharmacy involved aiming to prevent a similar outcome occurring.
The Board notes that the second most common cause for complaint by consumers is the behaviour of pharmacists in relation to alleged errors in dispensing. The Board has for some time recommended that all pharmacists and pharmacies have in place procedures that adequately reflect community expectation as to how complaints should be handled and resolved.
Consumers often contact the Board to raise complaints concerning the price of medicines. In all but a very few situations the Board has no jurisdiction over the pricing of medicines and the complaints concern the commercial consideration of operating a business. Infrequently the Board becomes involved in such complaints when the possibility of illegal activity exists or the Code of Professional Conduct has been breached.
Having read the ENRICH manual I am looking for the short answer to what actually has to be done and how difficult it is going to be?
Each year pharmacists are expected to display a commitment to professional development activities that is the most tangible measure of their competency. Through various sources including professional organisations, online activities, self directed learning and practice development pharmacists are expected to gain a minimum of 20 credits for this purpose. Each five year cycle a pharmacist will be audited once and in the process the pharmacist will be asked to provide evidence of the professional development activities undertaken in the previous calendar year.
It has become apparent as ENRICH has been accepted by the profession in South Australia that indeed gaining the credit level required is not nearly as difficult as was first envisaged, and that in fact the discipline of recording activities remains the most difficult part for pharmacists.