VPA
Cannabis slipups
Inspectors have been conducting targeted inspections of pharmacies which dispense high volumes of medicinal cannabis… what did they find? The Victorian Pharmacy Authority has warned pharmacy owners that medicinal cannabis …
Vaccine services problems spotted
As we head towards winter, pharmacists are likely to be vaccinating more… what are inspectors looking for? The Victorian Pharmacy Authority has produced a list of several problems found in …
Security flaws highlighted in panel hearing
A worker who was not a pharmacist was allowed access to a pharmacy while it was closed and no pharmacist was there… including access to the S8 drug safe keys …
Drug safes too full to close
Discrepancies between the drug register and S8s, inadequate cold chain management, and compounding scales which had been left unserviced were all problems unearthed at one Victorian pharmacy The Victorian Pharmacy …
New services and impact on workload
Pharmacy owners need to keep a close eye on whether the number of staff dispensing is in line with workload guidelines, says one authority In its latest circular, the Victorian …
Batch compounding warning
Compounding was carried out on an open bench used to store food and drinks in one pharmacy, while others diluted commercial eye drops to create a non-sterile final product Pharmacies …
Three panel hearings
A pharmacy owner was “trying to find time” to dispose of multiple S8s that were found in a cardboard box and garbage bag in the dispensary The Victorian Pharmacy Authority …
Looking after your inventory
Issues with some pharmacy DAA, RUM and Schedule 8 procedures, investigators report There remain issues with the compliance of some pharmacies with the procedures required by regulators, the Victorian Pharmacy …
All above board
Audit of pharmacy ownership arrangements fails to find signs of unlawful behaviour Pharmacy ownership audits conducted by the Victorian Pharmacy Authority in 2020 failed to find any evidence of unlawful …
Penalties of nearly $200k for breaches
Authority sends strong message to all licencees about pharmacy ownership rules, with a warning about steep penalties Pharmacy licensees need to abide by the various legal obligations connected with ownership, …
Adjusting for a new reality
There will be a relaxation of some of the usual regulations impacting pharmacy alterations during the pandemic, a regulator says In its latest communique, the Victorian Pharmacy Authority flagged a …
S8 poisons kept in a drawer
Pharmacy licensees warned that cases of suspected serious breaches of drugs and poisons legislation will be referred to the Department of Health and could result in a prosecution Between August …