2DRx SOP - LloydsPharmacy

If the prescriber needs to be contacted this should be done under the supervision of the
pharmacist.
When contacting the prescriber, do not say, ‘Sorry to trouble you’. Never apologise for
doing your job.
Do not be confrontational when contacting prescribers about errors – we all make
mistakes.
Try to ensure that you have contact with prescribers other than when discussing
interventions so as to avoid the ‘You’ve made another error’ trap.
Make sure that you have all the information that you will need BEFORE contacting the
prescriber, e.g. if a drug is inappropriate, ensure that you have details of suitable alternatives.
All clinically significant interventions or referrals should be recorded on the Intervention /
Referral form and the appropriate entry made on the customer’s CoMPaSS record.
In some cases the prescriber will amend a prescription after a patient has left the GP
practice. In this case when a barcode is scanned at the pharmacy the original message will be
displayed along with the amended message. It is then the professional judgement of the
pharmacist on duty to decide if the GP needs to be contacted. The prescription should
then be endorsed with prescriber contacted (PC) or not contacted (PNC) as appropriate.
Ensure that all patients that are taking unusual drugs or doses that have been previously
verified by the prescriber have notes on the CoMPaSS to this effect.
If an agreement cannot be reached with the prescriber/patient on appropriate action then it
may be advisable to speak to your Cluster Lead Manager (CLM), NPA or the
Superintendents Department for further advice/reassurance.
Interventions provide a rich source of material for CPD. They can help you to identify gaps
in your knowledge.
2DRx Standard Operation Procedure July 2011 Page 16