Message from the Registrar
Survey for reference sources that must be accessible in a pharmacy
The Office of the Registrar released a survey on reference materials required in each category of pharmacy. This was in response to the Council decision made in July 2017 to update the required reference materials published in the Rules relating to good pharmacy practice (GPP).
In the survey members of the profession were requested to declare their area of practice at the time of completing the survey or the category of pharmacy where they were practising or spent most of their time.
Members who were not practising in any of the 5 categories of pharmacy (institutional, community, wholesale, manufacturing and consultant pharmacy) at the time of completing the survey, were provided with a platform to indicate which category of pharmacy they wished to provide feedback for.
In completing the survey, registered persons had to indicate whether they would like the reference material listed in the Rules relating to GPP to be accessible in a pharmacy, by simply stating a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, and the format in which such reference material should be accessible. The options provided were electronic, manual or both. Potential reasons why a particular reference material should be or should not be accessible in a pharmacy were included in the survey whereby a registered person could select multiple reasons to support their suggestion. An additional option to supply additional reasons was also provided.
Since Council is of the opinion that the three reference materials, i.e., the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, 101 of 1965, a Good Pharmacy Practice Manual (GPP manual) and the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974 must be in each category of pharmacy, registered person were only requested to indicate how often they use these reference materials.
An option to provide additional suitable reference materials applicable to the current practice of pharmacy was provided.
Council would like to thank the profession for participating in this survey as it views this as a path for shaping the future. The results for the survey will be released mid-2019, once approved by Council
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