Community Pharmacy

NAME: ABSHAR ALI KHAN
PHARM-D 3RD YEAR 6TH SEMESTER

ROLL NO: 501-S19-028
SUBJECT: COMMUNITY PHARMACY
ASSIGNMENT: COMMUNITY PHAMRACIST
 DEFINITION
 ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
COMMUNITY PHARMACIST
DEFINITION:
An independent health professional in the UK, commonly known as a chemist, who provides
services for dispensing of prescriptions together with advice on treating common illnesses,
sale of non-prescription medicines and other ancillary goods and services. Community
pharmacies are located in small town centre, supermarkets, in the most underprivileged
interiors and are in most cases opened for longs hours when no other healthcare givers are
obtainable. For years the community pharmacist as a healthcare specialist has progressed
from the customary role of dispensing doctors’ prescriptions role to permit for improved and
enhanced incorporation and team working with the broader professional in the health care
servicing.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMMUNITY PHARMACIST:

Pharmacists perform a lot of different functions in relation to pharmaceutical services and
patient care. However, not all pharmacists perform the same function. This is because
depending on the area of practice and position in the organization some functions may not be
necessary. There some functions that a hospital pharmacist performs which are not necessary
in a community practice. The functions of an industrial pharmacist are different from those of
administrative pharmacists.
The following are the duties and responsibility of a pharmacist in community practice:
1. The community pharmacist fills and dispenses prescriptions. He reads the prescription
and provides the drugs prescribed appropriately. He labels the drugs appropriately
and dispense to the patient.
2. The pharmacist counsels the patients on the drugs dispensed. This involves giving the
patients information about adverse reactions and interactions with other medications,
food, alcohol and other beverages. The pharmacist during counseling also trains the
patients on how and when to take doses, how to minimize side effects and get the
maximum benefits from the medication.
3. The pharmacist checks for the patients’ safety in the prescription. Whenever a patient
presents a prescription before him, he checks it to ensure that the patient’s health is
not at risk as a result of the drugs prescribed. He checks for drug interactions, ask
questions to ascertain that there are no contraindications and weigh the impact of the
adverse effects.
4. The pharmacist communicates with prescribers on issues relating to the prescription
given to the patient. If a pharmacist notices anything potentially harmful to a patient,
he connects with the prescriber and discusses the needed correction.
5. The pharmacist advises the patients on general health. It is the pharmacist’s
responsibility to educate his patients on general health care and what he should do to
maintain good health. He advises the patients on lifestyle modifications, dieting,
herbal and natural health products and all that tends to a healthy life.
6. The pharmacist compounds extemporaneous preparations when necessary. There are
times that the prescribed medication has to be prepared, and that is the duty of the
pharmacist. He compounds and labels the preparations appropriately.
7. In community practice, it is the duty of the pharmacist to manage staff of the
pharmacy. He oversees the work of other staff in the pharmacy and trains them on
basic pharmaceutical services. He also supervises and mentors pharmacist interns and
students on industrial attachment. In his management capacity the pharmacist also
makes hiring decisions and setting and enforcing workplace policies. Some pharmacies
however employ a manager who may not be a pharmacist and in such situation the
duty of managing staff lies with the manager.
8. The pharmacist also performs administrative duties. He ensures the day to day
running of the business and everything in the business is orderly. It is his duty to make
sure that needed products are stocked in the right quantities. He monitors stock
movement and supply.
9. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to educate health provider colleagues
(doctors, nurses and other health care providers) about new medications and drug
therapy protocols. The pharmacist is the drug expert and it is his duty to educate both
his colleagues in the health care team as well as the general public.
10. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to attend continuing education courses to
update his knowledge and as a requirement for renewal of license. Apart from the
mandatory continuing education, it is important to attend other training to develop
himself professionally and in other life skills.
In improving the quality of health care in the community, the pharmacist plays an important
role in linking patients and medical professionals. They are not only taught how to dispense
medication, provide medical information and help in health promotion, they are also well
equipped to help control side effects and give guidance to patients on multiple medications
on how to effectively and safely use them (World Health Organization 2015). They not only
reduce cost in health care services but they are also easily accessible to the public and they
are much preferred than the doctors for they offer better and easily understood
prescriptions.

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Community Pharmacy

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NAME: ABSHAR ALI KHAN

PHARM-D 3RD YEAR 6TH SEMESTER

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMMUNITY PHARMACIST:

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