Practising ‘good’ dispensing
PDL has recently updated the Guide to Good Dispensing to reflect changes in the dispensing process that have arisen from changes in technology and legislation, such as the introduction of electronic prescriptions and active ingredient prescribing. PDL Professional Officers would like to remind pharmacists that good dispensing requires a systematic approach, risk assessment and clear […]
Resources for guidance on proprietor oversight
NSW members were sent a Forum communique in October 2022 about the joint initiative between the Pharmacy Council of NSW, NSW Health and the pharmacy organisations representing most NSW pharmacists. As mentioned in the communique, the purpose of the Forum is to: • monitor regulatory issues that impact on the governance and performance of NSW […]
Reminder: Be alert but not alarmed
In December 2020, PDL released a Practice Alert titled “Be alert but not alarmed“. This alert reminded pharmacists of some of the common dispensing errors reported to PDL. While much has happened within the profession since that time, it is concerning to see that many of the same errors and error types continue to occur. […]
Opioid Therapy Program management resources
As a PDL NSW member, you may have seen the Forum communique sent on 13 October 2022 regarding the joint initiative between the Pharmacy Council of NSW, NSW Health and the pharmacy organisations representing most NSW pharmacists. As mentioned in the communique, the purpose of the Forum is to: • monitor regulatory issues that impact […]
COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccines – important update
The recent availability of the Moderna Spikevax Bivalent Booster Vaccine has seen a rise in the number of vaccine-related calls and incident reports to PDL. With the availability of the Pfizer Comirnaty Bivalent Booster Vaccine imminent, the PDL Professional Officers would like to remind pharmacists of the need to review all vaccination procedures before offering […]
Managing high-risk S8, S4B and S4D medicines
PDL NSW members were recently sent a Forum communique on 13 October 2022 regarding the joint initiative between the Pharmacy Council of NSW, NSW Health and the pharmacy organisations representing most NSW pharmacists. As mentioned in the communique, the purpose of the Forum is to: monitor regulatory issues that impact on the governance and performance […]
Don’t fall for a forgery
PDL continues to see notifications involving forged prescriptions and would like to remind pharmacists of the need to be vigilant when assessing the validity of prescriptions. Forgery red flags Forged prescription incidents often involve one or more of the following: The prescription is for fentanyl, high strength oxycodone or alprazolam, especially if multiple PBS pack […]
Be alert with varicella vaccines
PDL has recently received several incident reports where the incorrect varicella vaccine has been prescribed and/or supplied. Prescribing software programs have variations on how the vaccines are described, potentially leading to confusion for prescribers and pharmacists. Most reports indicate the intended varicella vaccine is for the prevention of chickenpox however transcription and selection errors have […]
Top 10 drugs in PDL incident reports
It is no surprise that the top four drugs on our list are Schedule 8’s (S8s). Dispensing errors can happen with any drug but the top four are also prone to diversion, forgeries and theft. Another reason this group is overrepresented is that some of them are available in immediate release (IR) and sustained release […]
Schedule 8 medicines management – tips to avoid the pitfalls
Schedule 8 medicines, in particular opioids, are often involved in notifications to PDL. An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report on opioid harm in Australia, published in 2018, highlighted that three people die every day from drug-induced deaths involving opioid use, while nearly 150 hospitalisations and 14 emergency department admissions occur every day involving […]
