Unit of competency details

Release 

Comments 

First Release

This is a revised unit, based on and equivalent to SIRPPKS001A Support the sale of pharmacy and pharmacist-only medicines.

New functional area. Unit descriptor expanded to define regulatory environment. Application statement expanded to define scope and boundaries of the pharmacy assistant role. No change to the overall scope or outcomes of the unit.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1. Identify and locate scheduled medicines in the pharmacy.

1.1.Follow pharmacy procedures that address legal requirements and industry standards  for the supply of medicines and products to customers  in community pharmacies.

1.2.Identify medicines, storage locations and requirements according to the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons  (SUSMP).

1.3.Identify common medicine categories for which Pharmacy Medicines or Pharmacist Only Medicines are available.

2. Assess customer needs.

2.1.Follow pharmacy protocols and procedures  to determine customer needs, applying tact and discretion when collecting information.

2.2.Assess response from customer.

2.3.Identify and act on triggers for referral to a pharmacist .

3. Supply scheduled medicines.

3.1.Apply pharmacy procedures for complying with the conditions relating to the supply of scheduled medicines.

3.2.Supply medicines and products to meet customer needs where relevant.

3.3.Finalise supply of Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines and products to customers following pharmacist provision of therapeutic advice.

3.4.Access relevant information sources  to provide product, lifestyle and self-care advice to customers and check customer understanding.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills to:

• interact with the customer to:

• obtain and provide information
• confirm understanding
• suggest and supply medicines and products
• ask questions to identify and confirm requirements

• learning skills to maintain currency of the schedule of the SUSMP
• literacy skills to:

• follow pharmacy protocols and procedures
• interpret information on product labels
• record customer information

• teamwork skills to operate as part of a pharmacy team, providing relevant information and seeking advice from a pharmacist and other pharmacy staff as required
• technology skills to access and use information systems required by the role

Required knowledge 

• broad factors taken into account when determining scheduling, e.g. quantities and concentration of active ingredients in packaged medicine
• common problems or health conditions for which Pharmacy Medicines or Pharmacist Only Medicines are used
• health privacy principles
• legal requirements and pharmacy procedures for positioning and advertising scheduled items in a pharmacy
• personal role boundaries and responsibilities, and circumstances under which referral to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff is required
• pharmacy protocols and procedures relating to Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines, including:

• maintaining privacy and confidentiality of customer information
• referring to a pharmacist
• supplying Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines

• roles of the:

• Advisory Committee in Chemicals Scheduling
• Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling
• Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in approving registration of new medicines

• sources of information on scheduled medicines
• system for scheduling medicines
• schedule of medicines, including:

• Pharmacy Medicine (S2)
• Pharmacist Only Medicine (S3)
• Prescription Only Medicine (S4)
• Caution (S5)
• Poison (S6)
• Dangerous Poison (S7)
• Controlled Drug (S8)
• Prohibited Substance (S9)

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the ability to:

• apply knowledge of commonly requested medicines scheduled as Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines
• follow pharmacy protocols and procedures to identify customer supply needs
• operate within the role boundaries that apply to a pharmacy assistant and follow pharmacy protocols and procedures when supplying Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines
• refer all requests for Pharmacist Only Medicines to a pharmacist, and recognise and act on other triggers for referral.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure that competency is:

• observed by the assessor or the technical expert working in partnership with the assessor as described in the assessment guidelines
• demonstrated across a range of customers over sufficient time to include handling of a range of contingencies
• demonstrated in a real or simulated pharmacy environment, which may include customer interruptions and involvement in other related activities normally expected in the pharmacy.

Assessment must ensure access to:

• a range of real or simulated customers with different requirements
• a range of Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines
• typical pharmacy storage locations, shelf facings and signage for a community pharmacy, including unscheduled medicines, Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines
• pharmacy protocols and procedures
• relevant regulations and guidelines
• relevant documentation, such as:

• consumer product information
• self-care advice.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• observation of the candidate in the workplace:

• applying tact and discretion when collecting information from and providing information to customers
• following pharmacy procedures when supplying Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines
• responding to product and symptom-based requests

• written or oral questions appropriate to the language and literacy level of the learner to test relevant underpinning knowledge
• role plays to confirm communication skills required to meet diverse customer requirements
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Legal requirements and industry standards  may vary between States and Territories and may include:

• consumer law, environmental law, work health and safety (WHS); and welfare law drugs, poisons and controlled substances legislation
• Health Act and related regulations
• Pharmacy Board of Australia guidelines and directives
• pharmacy and pharmacist Acts and related regulations
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Professional Practice Standards
• privacy legislation
• Therapeutic Goods Administration guidelines and requirements
• SUSMP.

Customers  may include people:

• from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying mental and physical abilities
• visiting the pharmacy, contacting the pharmacy by phone, or in their own home
• with special needs, such as:

• the elderly
• infants

• who are:

• drug or alcohol affected
• emotionally unstable
• mentally unstable
• physically unwell.

Standards for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons  may include:

• general sales medicines (unscheduled)
• Pharmacy Medicine (S2)
• Pharmacist Only Medicine (S3)
• Prescription Only Medicine (S4)
• Controlled Drug (S8).

Protocols and procedures  may include:

• questioning the customer to establish:

• who the product is for
• symptoms
• duration of symptoms
• other existing health conditions
• other medications being used by the customer
• if the customer has seen a doctor in the past 12 months

• assessing:

• customer responses to questions
• own confidence that the product or service requested by the customer or recommended by the pharmacy assistant is right for the customer’s symptoms.

Triggers for referral to a pharmacist  may include:

• customer who is:

• a child under 2
• an aged person
• pregnant or breastfeeding
• taking other medicines

• customer who has:

• had the complaint for some time
• other health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure
• used the product before but is not satisfied with its efficacy

• pharmacy assistant is unsure and needs confirmation of the medicine selected, even if the product has been requested by name
• customer who appears to be:

• sick
• confused
• uncertain
• dissatisfied
• angry
• under the influence of drugs or alcohol

• personal concern regarding the accuracy of the information given by the customer
• request for Pharmacist Only Medicine.

Information sources  may include:

• self-care and health-care information
• product brochures and leaflets supplied by a pharmacist
• manufacturer information
• Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) website and phone line
• industry and professional publications.