The pharmacist and pharmacy team are responsible for preparing all prescriptions ready for delivery and it will be the pharmacist’s responsibility to use their professional judgement to decide if this medicine can be delivered safely to the individual or if they need to speak with them face to face.

The pharmacist will ensure that the prescription is labelled with clear instructions for use so the customer knows exactly what to do. It will be placed in a bag with the customer’s name and address secured on it ready for delivery and once checked these will be stored in an appropriate delivery area ready for collection.

You will need to take responsibility for these medicines and record that you have taken them from the pharmacy. The procedure will vary dependent upon the pharmacy you work in - you may have a computerised system that requires you to scan a barcode or there may be a written record book that you need to write in and sign. There will be different types of medicines or products to deliver which fall into the following categories:

General Sales List Medicine (GSL): These items can be sold in pharmacies and other retail outlets such as supermarkets, without the supervision of a pharmacist. They are sometimes referred to as OTC or ‘over the counter medicines’ and examples include small quantities of basic painkillers such as paracetamol, cold relief treatments or constipation remedies.

Pharmacy Medicines (P): Pharmacy medicines are available from a pharmacy without a prescription and can be sold under the supervision of a pharmacist, an example would be antibiotic eye drops. These medicines are kept behind the counter and the pharmacist or trained staff will need to check the medicine is appropriate for the customer and their health problem.

Prescription Only Medicine (POM): These medicines can only be supplied to a customer if they are prescribed by a GP or other healthcare professional. They can only be supplied in pharmacies in emergency situations because they are potentially potent drugs or their use needs to be restricted or monitored.

Some medications you deliver will require special consideration:

Controlled Drugs (CD)

A controlled drug (CD) is a special category of prescription only medicine controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 include 5 schedules that classify all controlled medicines and drugs. Schedule 1 has the highest level of control, but drugs in this group are never prescribed as they have no known acceptable medical use and carry a high abuse potential, such as cocaine. Schedule 5 has a much lower level of control.

The purpose of these controls is to prevent medicines being misused, obtained illegally or to cause harm. There will be a separate SOP for controlled drugs in your pharmacy and some of these drugs must be stored in a locked and secured cupboard.

As a delivery driver you are authorised to collect the CD on behalf of the customer, and your pharmacist will ask you to sign the back of the prescription. It is good practice for the prescription to remain within the pharmacy, however your pharmacist may give you a copy of the prescription to keep with the medicines as evidence that you have authority to be in possession of the CD. It is important that this prescription copy is kept securely and returned to the pharmacy for destruction as it contains confidential patient information.

Due to the safe custody requirements of CDs, you will need to ensure they are kept as secure as possible and in a locked container whilst in transit.

Temperature control

Some medicines have special storage conditions and are classed as ‘fridge items’ which must be stored at a temperature between 2°C and 8°C; a common fridge item is insulin. Your pharmacist will add these items to your deliveries last and there will be a procedure in place for storage during transit, such as using a portable fridge or cool box for short journeys.

Although fridge items require special storage, you should also consider the storage of other medicines whilst in transit as they must be stored in a cool, dry place. Extremes of temperature can commonly occur in vehicles which could potentially affect the medicines and the way they work. For example an item may freeze in winter or spoil if left in a hot vehicle for too long. Monitor your vehicle temperature and take appropriate action. Should you have any concerns about the effect a high or low temperature could have on a medicine, consult your pharmacist.

It is very important to keep your delivery vehicle clean in the same way the dispensary is always kept clean because this prevents germs from spoiling any medicines.