Minimum standards for pharmacy premises, facilities and equipment are stipulated in items 1.2.1 to 1.2.13 above and must be met. The following additional standards relate specifically to institutional pharmacies:
| (a) |
the pharmacy must be located in an area easily accessible to patients and staff of the hospital/institution; |
| (b) |
the communication and transportation system of the hospital/institution must include the pharmacy; |
| (c) |
the location of the pharmacy, its equipment and supplies and the space allocated must be adequate to cater for the professional and administrative activities and actions of the pharmacy personnel. The size of rooms and the number and position of work stations must allow proper workflow and segregation of activities; |
| (d) |
there must be sufficient and suitable space and facilities for normal dispensing activities as well as where necessary for ward and clinical services, compounding, pre-packing, parenteral admixture preparation, other aseptic compounding and cytotoxic preparation; |
| (e) |
a suitable area and facilities (space, equipment, journals, books) for providing a medicine information service must be provided where applicable; |
| (f) |
offices should be appropriate for the size of the pharmacy and personnel structure; |
| (g) |
separate service areas for outpatients and staff must be provided that are large enough to allow effective communication. In addition, separate facilities for the provision of information or advice must be provided to ensure confidentiality of discussion; |
| (h) |
where compounding and pre-packing are to be carried out in accordance with the Medicines Act, suitable separate facilities that comply with GMP standards must be provided; |
| (i) |
where radioactive Pharmaceuticals are to be prepared in accordance with the Medicines Act, the premises must comply with the requirements for aseptic preparation and be in line with GMP standards. The premises must also meet the requirements for radioactive products and a suitable cabinet that complies with GMP standards must be provided; |
| (j) |
there must be separate and secure goods receiving area(s), which is under cover; |
| (k) |
there must be a separate and secure goods dispatch area. |
Public Service Commission Act, 1997
