Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Assisting in dispensary stock control must comply with:
local, federal and state or territory legislation
industry codes of practice, standards and guidelines
community pharmacy policies, protocols and procedures relating to assisting a pharmacist in dispensary stock control.


Dispensary stock may include:
scheduled products
products requiring special handling, e.g. refrigerated stock
raw materials for compounding.


Storage conditions may include:
location
cold chain requirements
temperature, humidity, light and security
ventilation
correct storage of hazardous substances.


Dispensary stock control procedures may include:
maintaining storage conditions
dispensary stock rotation
keeping dispensary stock undamaged
monitoring expiry dates
aiding dispensary stock selection
maintaining current shelf labels.


Disposal may include:
return to supplier
safe destruction according to pharmacy policy, legislative requirements and environmental protection guidelines
disposal service.


Disposalprocedures must be performed:
under pharmacist supervision and according to federal and state or territory and local legislation.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the following is essential:
applies pharmacy policies, standards and guidelines, industry legislation and codes of practice in regard to dispensary stock control tasks, including:
identifying and storing dispensary products
procurement and stocktaking procedures
maintaining storage conditions
locating and storing dispensary products
risk management procedures to minimise selection errors
maintaining stock control records
safe and legal disposal of dispensary waste
follows contingency control procedures, including procedures for returning pharmacy products to supplier or manufacturer and procedures for receiving returned goods from customer to pharmacy
respects and protects customer privacy when communicating with customers and maintaining customer records
recognises situations requiring referral to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff according to pharmacy policy
applies OHS practices
maintains housekeeping standards in the dispensary stores area.
plans and carries out work to meet dispensary stock control requirements.


Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure:
demonstration of dispensary stock control activities over a period of time
demonstration of storing a range of items, including scheduled items requiring storage in secure areas and items with special handling and storage requirements
performance is observed by the assessor or the technical expert working in partnership with the assessor.
access to a real or simulated workplace environment that meets Pharmacy Board and relevant industry standards for dispensary stock control
access to relevant pharmacy protocols and procedures
access to state or territory legislation and guidelines where appropriate
access to dispensary stock control record-keeping systems
access to relevant documentation, such as:
purchase orders
invoices and statements
packing slips
credit slips
standing orders
electronic data interchange (EDI) forms
access to a range of medicines and related equipment
access to storage equipment and capacity appropriate to a dispensary.


Methods of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
a qualified workplace assessor, or a technical expert working in partnership with the assessor, to observe the dispensary assistant performing a range of stock control tasks over sufficient time to demonstrate handling of a range of contingencies.
written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding.
evidence that completion of workplace documentation and records relevant to dispensary stock control operations is timely and accurate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.


Assessing employability skills
Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.
Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically in the context of the job role and with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification.