On Tuesday 14 November the Department of Health laid the Dispensing Errors (Registered Pharmacies) Order before Parliament.
In response GPhC Chief Executive, Duncan Rudkin said:
“We very much welcome the news that the Dispensing Errors (Registered Pharmacies) Order has now been laid before Parliament.
“Openness and honesty when things go wrong is a core part of the standards for pharmacy professionals. This change in legislation will remove a barrier to improved reporting and learning from errors and we are pleased to see continuing progress towards changing this legislation.
“We look forward to a governmental consultation next year on removing the threat of criminal sanctions for dispensing errors made by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in settings other than registered pharmacies. We have consistently been clear that single dispensing errors do not in our view constitute a fitness to practise concern, if there is not a wider pattern of errors or significant aggravating factors.”