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Pharmacy fined for dispensing mistakes

 

15-May-2008: In a decision released yesterday, City Health Pharmacy in Victoria Avenue was instead stung with a $10,000 fine and had extra conditions imposed on its licence following a string of six drug dispensing mistakes in two years.

The ministry stopped short of cancelling the licence of the after- hours pharmacy, as it threatened to do earlier this year, but said the pharmacy must seek outside expert help to review its quality systems.

Two years ago, Lisa Leader's then two-year-old daughter Emma was hospitalised for a weekend after City Health's cough medicine blunder. She was shocked the pharmacy was allowed to stay in business.

"It's unbelievable. Are they going to wait until someone dies?

"Every time we see something else happen it makes us so angry that it's still happening."

In the Leader case, and two subsequent complaints, the Health and Disability Commissioner held staff rather than the pharmacy itself responsible.

The pharmacy has been ordered to improve its systems based on expert recommendations and report every two months on progress, said ministry quality and safety manager Rose Wall.

The fine relates to the pharmacy's failure to report a dispensing error in January within 24 hours of it happening, as was required under earlier conditions imposed on its licence. The commissioner is investigating the mistake.

Ms Wall said the ministry had considered the pharmacy's competence and public safety in making its decision.

"We have acted to put in place conditions to minimise the likelihood of errors in the dispensing of medicines," she said.

Pharmacy owner Hamish Barham said a number of reviews by independent experts had already taken place and numerous improvements had been made to its systems to reduce the further risk of errors.

"The errors that have occurred have been of great concern.

"This was obviously not intended and we apologise for the distress and concern caused."

The pharmacy's goal was to ensure drugs were dispensed accurately to all its patients, and it would abide by the conditions imposed to ensure safety.

It now has nine conditions on its licence - two are standard, regarding compliance with the Medicines Act and not requiring staff to breach professional or ethical standards.

Others were added about the number of pharmacists required to be on site and the reporting of any errors, including those picked up and remedied before a customer leaves.

Source: Manawatu Standard