Purpose

This course provides the necessary skills, knowledge, and training to enable qualified pharmacy technicians to undertake the final accuracy check on dispensed prescriptions that have been clinically approved by a pharmacist, in line with the pharmacy’s own accuracy checking standard operating procedures (SOPs). After successful completion of this course, an electronic certificate will be issued that will demonstrate achievement of competence for accuracy checking. As part of the course, learners are independently assessed and accredited by the NPA Learning and Development team to undertake this role of responsibility.

Outcomes

• Build the confidence and competency of the trainee accuracy checking technician (ACT) when accuracy checking prescriptions that have been clinically checked and annotated as suitable to accuracy check by the pharmacist
• Develop the trainee ACT’s professional awareness of pharmacy practice including the legal and ethical implications surrounding the role of an ACT
• Final assessment of checking skills in a pharmacy environment with a short pre-test online
• An ACT can free up time for the pharmacist to offer patient-centred care by focusing on service provision, medicines’ management and optimisation
• Can reduce the risk of dispensing-related incidents as ACTs will be accuracy checking items labelled and dispensed by another individual
• GPhC registered pharmacy technicians can gain an indefinite certificate if the NPA terms of certification are followed and are not required to re-accredit every two years. All other accredited accuracy checkers will require continuous re-accreditation via a reassessment portfolio every two years.

Suitability

This course is written and designed for qualified pharmacy technicians registered with the GPhC, and for pharmacy technicians who are not registered with the GPhC including in Northern Ireland. The course is suitable for trainees who have access to a dispensary that dispenses commonly prescribed items. For trainees who work in specialist pharmacies, please call the NPA Member services team, to determine suitability for the course. The trainee should be working at least 14 hours per week in their role and should be able to accurately dispense 200 items consecutively. To evidence this they must download a template of a log below, which must be submitted upon enrolment by uploading it to the relevant section of the enrolment form.

Access your Dispensing log template here – Download

Please refer to our FAQ’s for further information on what to expect from this course

 

 

Delivery

The learning consists of:

• Answering structured questions to aid learning, such as, activities, knowledge based multiple choice questions (MCQs), assignments and reflective exercises
• Practice-based accuracy checking activities
• Monthly appraisals, where key competencies are addressed with the supervisor

The material for this course includes a guide for the supervisor and another for the trainee. The supervisor pack is used to support the supervisor on what to expect from the course and of the trainee. The supervisor can also view the trainee pack which covers the following:

• An introduction to the role of an ACT
• The importance of standard operating procedures
• The legal and ethical implications of the role of an ACT
• Method of carrying out an accuracy check
• Dealing with dispensing and checking errors appropriately
• Communication skills
• Patient safety and clinical governance
• A guide to good practice and minimising errors
• Assignment and MCQ guidance
• Appraisal guidance
• Guidance on how to build a portfolio evidencing ongoing accuracy checking
• Appraisal guidance
• Guidance on completing the reflective exercises
• The structure of the final assessment test
• The structure of the final assessment interview
• Validity of the ACT certificate and further information following certification

Assessment

This course can take between 6 – 12 months to complete.

The trainee will have to initially submit a portfolio of evidence on the NPA Learning Academy which must include:

• Answers to MCQs, the written assignments and reflective exercises
• Evidence of accuracy checking a wide range of formulations for at least 2 day per week, every week. A minimum of 1000 items need to be checked over at least three consecutive months. All items that the trainee checks must be double-checked by their supervisor
• A minimum of three monthly appraisals with the supervisor need to be included for each month of checking complete
• The supervisor and trainee will be provided with a guide to the final assessment once the portfolio is marked as satisfactory. The supervisor’s guide will help to prepare for conducting the assessment within the pharmacy at a time that is suitable for the supervisor and the trainee.

The trainee will have to evidence their competency in the form of a final assessment test which includes:

• A pre-test of five MCQs to be answered correctly on the NPA Learning Academy followed by a practical accuracy checking assessment in the pharmacy conducted by the supervisor. The supervisor will receive two test packs for the practical test and each pack contains 15 prescriptions.

• The course price allows for up to two attempts at the practical final assessment. Thereafter a reassessment fee of £60 + VAT will be applicable for a final 2 tests.

The final stage of the course following successful completion of the final assessment test is the final assessment interview and includes:

• MCQs for a scenario based question followed by a telephone interview with an NPA Learning and Development team member

Upon successful completion of the final assessment test and interview, an ‘indefinite’ e-certificate for accuracy checking will be provided to GPhC registered pharmacy technicians provided that the ACT remains within the terms of the certificate. If the pharmacy technician is not GPhC registered then once qualified as an ACT they will receive a two year e-certificate for accuracy checking and a 2-year Reassessment Portfolio to complete and submit with instructions on renewal.

View our blog post for eight top tips on passing your accuracy checking final assessment.