A minimum competence requirement came into place on 1st January 2005 relating to pharmacy / dispensing assistants.
Pharmacy/dispensing assistants need to be competent in the areas in which they work, to a minimum standard of NVQ level 2 or equivalent.
Assistants may either complete a full NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy Service or they can complete individual unit(s) relevant to their work areas. They will be assessed in the workplace by trained NVQ assessors. Their completed portfolios will be verified by one of the Regional Internal Quality Assurers.
The full NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy Services requires competence to be demonstrated in 3 mandatory units and a minimum of 4 optional units.
| Mandatory: | |
| Unit 201 | Assist with the provision of a pharmacy service to meet individuals' needs |
| Unit 202 | Ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety |
| Unit 203 | Contribute to the effectiveness of teams |
| Optional units: | |
| Unit 204 |
Assist in the sale of medicines and products |
| Unit 305 | Receive prescriptions from individuals |
| Unit 206 | Assemble prescribed items |
| Unit 207 |
Order routine pharmaceutical stock |
| Unit 311 | Receive pharmaceutical stock |
| Unit 312 |
Maintain pharmaceutical stock |
| Unit 210 | Assist in the issuing of pharmaceutical stock |
| Unit 211 | Assist in the manufacture and assembly of medicinal products |
| Unit 212 | Prepare aseptic products |
| Unit 213 | Prepare documentation, materials, components and other items for the preparation of aseptic products |
| Unit 214 | Assist in the preparation of documentation, materials and other items for the manufacture and assembly of medicinal products |
| Unit 314 | Undertake an in-process accuracy check of assembled prescribed items prior to the final accuracy check |
| Unit 216 | Assist in the issuing of prescribed items |
For more information contact:
Karen Nash, Pharmacy NVQ Training Programme Director (0117 3426767) karennash@nhs.net