Preparation of medication. It is important that the dose is ready for the service user’s arrival. The whole operation should be as discreet and efficient as possible, maintaining the service user’s dignity and saving the pharmacist’s time. • Doses that are collected to be taken on Sundays or bank holidays must be dispensed in a container with a child resistant closure. Clients must also be advised to store their medication out of the reach of children. Methadone - The daily amount should be measured, placed into a container, capped and labelled. When the service user arrives, ideally the measured dose may be poured into a disposable cup. Please note drinking medicines directly from the bottle can set a bad example to children in the pharmacy. The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) issued guidance in May 2014 around the extemporaneous preparation of unlicensed medications. Pharmacists considering extemporaneous preparation of methadone should be aware of this new guidance.16 Buprenorphine – The prescribed tablets should be removed from the foil and placed an appropriate container. If they are to be crushed they should be crushed into granules rather than a fine powder, in the service user’s presence. This way the service user can confirm their dose before the medication is crushed. An appropriate crushing device should be used that minimises any loss of dose and has the confidence of clients. Supervision of self-administration • There should be discreet and efficient supervision by pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician • Administration should take place in a discreet area and/or at times when the pharmacy is not likely to be busy, as agreed with the pharmacist. This will be discussed with pharmacies as part of the application process. • Methadone - The pharmacist or pharmacy technician, see additional requirements below, must be satisfied that the dose has actually been swallowed, for example, by water being swallowed after the dose or conversing with the service user to ensure that the methadone is not retained in the mouth. ‘Spit Methadone’ has a street value and some clients may be under a great deal of pressure to hand over their dose to others. • Buprenorphine – the tablet or crushed granules must be tipped directly under the tongue without handling and the service user supervised by the pharmacist or pharmacy technician until the tablets have dissolved – this can take 3-7 minutes depending on the dose, the service user and whether the tablets have been crushed. Provid...
Preparation of medication. It is important that the dose is ready for the service user’s arrival. The whole operation should be as discreet and efficient as possible, maintaining the service user’s dignity and saving the pharmacist’s time. • Doses that are collected to be taken on Sundays or bank holidays must be dispensed in a container with a child resistant closure. Service user must also be advised to store their medication out of the reach of children. Methadone - The daily amount should be measured, placed into a container, capped and labelled. When the service user arrives, ideally the measured dose may be poured into a disposable cup. Please note drinking medicines directly from the bottle can set a bad example to children in the pharmacy. The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) issued guidance in May 2014 around the extemporaneous preparation of unlicensed medications. Pharmacists considering extemporaneous preparation of methadone should be aware of this new guidance.16 Buprenorphine – The prescribed tablets should be removed from the foil and placed an appropriate container. If they are to be crushed they should be crushed into granules rather than a fine powder, in the service user’s presence. This way the service user can confirm their dose before the medication is crushed. An appropriate crushing device should be used that minimises any loss of dose and has the confidence of service users. Supervision of self-administration • There should be discreet and efficient supervision by pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician • Administration should take place in a discreet area and/or at times when the pharmacy is not likely to be busy, as agreed with the pharmacist. This will be discussed with pharmacies as part of the application process. • Methadone - The pharmacist or pharmacy technician, see additional requirements below, must be satisfied that the dose has actually been swallowed, for example, by water being swallowed after the dose or conversing with the service user to ensure that the methadone is not retained in the mouth. ‘Spit Methadone’ has a street value and some service users may be under a great deal of pressure to hand over their dose to others. • Buprenorphine – the tablet or crushed granules must be tipped directly under the tongue without handling and the service user supervised by the pharmacist or pharmacy technician until the tablets have dissolved – this can take 3-7 minutes depending on the dose, the service user and whether the tablets have bee...
