STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE No: 4
 FOR Assembly and Labelling
1st Draft for comment and amendment 18th April 2004
PURPOSE
To ensure patient safety
To ensure prescribed items are correctly labeled
To ensure the correct item and quantity are supplied
To ensure that waiting times are minimized
To ensure that all appropriate records are kept
To ensure prescriptions are correctly endorsed and full remuneration is obtained

SCOPE
This SOP applies to all NHS and Private prescriptions from all prescribers. 
PROCEDURE
The dispensing area should be kept clean and tidy at all times
It is good practice to have more than one person involved in the assembly process
Prescriptions should be kept together, and marked as 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3 etc.
If a stock shortage becomes apparent then the patient should be informed and the item obtained for him if required
Items should always be labeled as ordered, i.e. Generic should not be swapped to proprietary or vice versa
If an amendment is required on a label, then generate a new label, rather than manually altering a produced label
Care should be taken when selecting products with similar names, multiple strengths or different dosage forms (LA, XL etc)
If a different brand of generic is used from normal then inform the patient, reassuring them about equivalence.
Care should be taken when handling sensitizing or cytotoxic preparations
In all cases items should be selected from the shelf by reference to the PRESCRIPTION and NOT the generated Label
The label should be attached to the item and the Disp Box initialed by the person doing the assembly
After assembly is completed the item should then be moved to an appropriate place for final checking




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Copyright © 2004 Richard Eggleston
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