Order medicines and products for individuals

​This standard is about ordering medicines and products for individuals. This covers reviewing the individual’s medication record and assessing the individual’s current supply in order to identify the medicines required. This standard also covers transcribing a medication order with instructions for labelling so that the medicines can be dispensed for the individual.  
Your practice will be consistent with your occupational role and carried out under the regulatory, professional and ethical frameworks established in the context of current legislation. You will need to take a reflective approach to your work.
You will work at all times within Standard Operating Procedures that relate to the way in which a pharmacy service is provided in your work place. A caring and compassionate approach should be adopted in line with current healthcare guidance. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies.

​1.    communicate with the individual and key people at a pace, in a manner and at a level appropriate to the individual’s understanding, preferences and needs
2.    work within the relevant Standard Operating Procedures including the relevant health and safety procedures and within your own limits of competence
3.    explain to the individual the purpose of ordering their individual medicines or products
4.    review the individual’s medication record to identify the correct medicines or products to be ordered
5.    assess the individual’s current supply of medicines or products prior to placing the order
6.    identify any issues with the individual’s current supply of medicines or products and take the appropriate action to rectify any issues
7.    order the medicines or products in accordance with organisational procedures, to include:
7.1    the correct details of the individual
7.2    appropriate dosage form
7.3    correct strength
7.4    correct quantity
7.5    correct instructions
7.6    correct medicine brand, where appropriate
7.7    timescale for the order, if appropriate
8.    where any issue required is outside the remit of your role, refer on to the appropriate person
9.    complete all relevant documentation and store appropriately in accordance with legal and organisational requirements
10.    confirm the accuracy of the generated order including transcription, where appropriate

1. the Standard Operating Procedures and the importance of adhering to them at all times
2. the importance of working within the limits of your competence and authority, when to seek agreement or permission from others and when to refer on to an appropriate person
3. current health and safety legislation and how it applies to the working environment
4. legal, organisational and policy requirements relevant to your role, the role of others in your organisation and the activities being carried out
5. the relevant national and local guidelines, policies and procedures that are available and how and when they should be accessed
6. the importance of adhering to information governance policies and maintaining confidentiality when sharing information about individuals with others
7. the duty to report any acts or omissions that could be detrimental to individuals, yourself, colleagues or your employer
8. the local procedure for ordering medicines for individuals
9. the local documentation required for placing an order
10. the different forms of medicines and why it is important to order appropriate quantities of the correct form and strength
11. the factors which affect the storage of medication including expiry dates
12. issues that may affect how medicines are taken
13. the labelling requirements for medicines
14. legislation surrounding medicines not licensed in the UK within your scope of practice
15. the use of compliance aids
16. the regulations related to the destruction of medicines 
17. legislation and organisational processes relating to obtaining valid consent
18. the actions to take if valid consent is not obtained
19. methods of enabling effective communication and supporting individuals to communicate their needs, views and preferences
20. the use of appropriate questioning techniques to obtain relevant information
21. the importance of establishing the requirements of individuals clearly and accurately
22. the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication when communicating with individuals
23. how to give clear and accurate information and check the individual's understanding
24. the source(s) of information that can be accessed and the information that can be given to individuals by you and other colleagues
25. the importance of recording, storing and retrieving information in accordance with organisational procedures

​This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004):
Dimension: G3 Procurement and Commissioning