How to Write Pharmacy Security Measures Policy

Pharmacy Security Measures Policy is all about the security taken by the management for the protection of the pharmacy department.

As usual with most of the policies sample posted here, there is some default data that should be listed in the policy header and footer. Below are some of the info that you need to include in your pharmacy security measures policy header:

  • Hospital name, obviously.
  • Pharmacy department operational policy and procedure, this header just to notify the reader that the following policy belongs to which department.
  • Policy code or Number, for filing/indexing purposes.
  • Edition Number, same purpose as above.
  • Title of the policy, in our case; it would be pharmacy security measures.
  • Important dates [date reviewed, approved date, effective date and due for review date].
  • Applies to [department] in this case it should be pharmacy department
  • And last but not least, you’ll mention the nature of the policy, whether it’s going to be multidisciplinary or department specific. (Department specific policy)
Pharmacy Security Measures Policy
Pharmacy Security Measures Policy

Pharmacy Security Measures Policy

Definition

This policy describes the security measures applied hospital pharmacies.

Purpose

To ensure that pharmacy is operating under strict security measures.

Policy

  1. Limited access to outpatient/inpatient pharmacies and security measures are in place.
  2. Identification of which OPD pharmacy staff has keys to OPD pharmacy.
  3. Narcotic and controlled room’s key is restricted to narcotic and controlled in-charge.

Procedures and responsibilities

Outpatient pharmacy supervisor and senior pharmacy clerk

  • Not more than two (2) keys shall be available in outpatient pharmacy.
  • The outpatient pharmacist supervisor and the senior pharmacy clerk are the only pharmacy staff shall have the key.
  • The outpatient pharmacy shall be opened by the pharmacy supervisor or his designee.
  • The outpatient pharmacy shall be closed by the pharmacy senior clerk or his designee.
  • In case of emergency may happened in outpatient pharmacy out of duty hours, a copy of outpatient pharmacy keys will be available in inpatient pharmacy, safety staff, security man and pharmacist on duty (if possible) will be able to take the key and open the pharmacy to do the necessary action and they should return back the keys directly after solving the problem. A form of (receiving the keys during emergency) will be filled by concern people.
  • Inpatient pharmacies are opened 24 hours and the access shall be limited only to authorized personnel.
  • All medications that transferred from pharmacy to (unit/ward) or vice versa, should be only through looked medication trolleys or/and closed medication boxes.
  • For narcotic and controlled room one key is available with the narcotic & controlled in-charge and another backup kept with pharmacy supervisor.
  • Narcotic & controlled medications are stored in secured steel lockers inside a room with double door as per regulations.
  • All wards/units that have medications floor stock should be kept in locked cabinet inside secured medication room, narcotic and controlled
  • Medications should be kept in a double door cabinet, crash cart must be kept locked.
  • Inventory for hospital pharmacies for their stocks (medicines, paramedical items, cosmetics) is done annually and whenever it is necessary.

Attachment – keys handover form

Receiving outpatient pharmacy keys in case of emergency out of dug hours
In case of disaster or any emergency situation that could happened in outpatient pharmacy out of operating hours and holidays, security man, safety staff and any pharmacist on duty(if possible) will collect outpatient pharmacy keys from inpatient pharmacy and do the necessary action
Type of disaster:
Date: Key received Time:
Key given by: Signature:
Key given to: Signature:
Key returned by: Signature:
Key returned time:
Summary of event and action taken:
keys handover form

You’re almost done and pharmacy security measures policy is almost ready, what’s remaining is just few basic policy layout filling.

  • References.
  • Revisions: Revised as per timescale.
  • Distribution: Here you should mentioned where this policy will be sent, and which departments will get a notification for it; for our current pharmacy security measures policy we are going to sent it to:
    • Hospital & Medical Director.
    • Pharmacy Department.
    • Signed originals is maintained in Manual & Indexing Office (if available).

The policy is now finished, and it’s time to get proper signatures, whether your hospital is implementing an electronic signatures, or manual sign and stamp.

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