GPhC letter to pharmacists sounds alarm over staff medicines theft

The chief pharmacy officer at the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has written to members of the sector to highlight a number of ongoing issues, including the theft of medicines by pharmacy workers.

In her letter to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy owners, Roz Gittins wrote that the regulator has recently investigated concerns that medicines in registered pharmacies have been ordered and stolen by members of staff and listed weight management medications as an example. 

According to the GPhC, cases have involved prescription-only-medicines that are ‘liable to misuse, or have high monetary value, such as medicines used for weight management’.

Ms Gittins emphasised that recipients of the letter ‘have a responsibility to make sure there are appropriate arrangements for the management of medicines’, which ‘includes having safeguards in place to prevent diversion’.

In addition to diversion, the GPhC expressed concern over the shipping of medicines on private prescription to countries in which they are illegal.

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The highlighting of the issue follows concerns raised with the GPhC by the public, medicines manufacturers and other regulators.

Ms Gittins wrote: 'Pharmacies and their teams need to undertake the relevant checks concerning the applicable laws of the country they are sending medicines to.

‘The DHSC list of medicines that you cannot export from the UK or hoard should also be checked and the potential impact on medicines availability carefully considered before sending medicines outside the UK.’

Problems were also highlighted over medicines arriving overseas in a state unfit for use.

‘The packaging, transport method and in-transit timeliness and delivery provider need to be suitable (in line with the manufacturer’s storage instructions) to ensure that the medicine arrives in good condition and is still safe and fit for purpose,’ Ms Gittins emphasised.

Recent problems regarding the advertising of prescription-only weight-management medication were also highlighted in the letter, following action by the Advertising Standards Authority against six pharmacies registered with the GPhC.

Ms Gittins also echoed the call by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for pharmacy staff to assist in a study examining links between GLP-1 weight-loss medication and acute pancreatitis.

Pharmacy staff have been asked to make Yellow Card reports detailing suspected side effects, and have been informed that the Yellow Card Biobank may get in touch with staff reporting cases of acute pancreatitis to follow up.

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Another issue highlighted in the letter related to pharmacies providing insufficient information when supplying oral methadone solution for the management of opioid use, which is typically dispensed in bottles outside of the manufacturers’ original packaging.

Ms Gittins wrote: 'We understand that people who are prescribed methadone may not want written information with each dose supplied, so we expect professional judgement to be used, taking into account the person’s individual needs, when deciding on what information to provide and when.'

She advised that pharmacies review how information about medication – especially methadone solution – is supplied when not in the manufacturers’ original packaging.

'This includes what conversations/written information, (including PILs) are provided and how this is documented, especially when someone starts on treatment, or their treatment or brand changes, or their pharmacy has changed,' Ms Gittins wrote.

Pharmacy teams were also reminded to check addresses when supplying medicines at a distance.

The GPhC said there had been a recent concern raised because an online pharmacy had sent medicines via post to a hospital, addressed to an inpatient.

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‘All pharmacy owners and pharmacy teams supplying medicines at a distance need to have procedures in place, and staff suitably trained, to identify different risks associated with patient addresses,’ the letter said.

‘This includes checking if the address appears to be for a hospital or other setting in which people may be receiving inpatient or other residential care, or for example if the same address is used for multiple orders under different names.’

The GPhC said everyone working in pharmacy should review the full contents of the letter and 'think about any actions they should take to ensure patients and the public receive safe and effective care'.