Pharmacy staff
The pharmacy staff includes in Germany according to the Apothekenbetriebsordnung (ApBetrO) the pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical staff of a pharmacy .
Pharmaceutical staff
The following professional groups belong to the pharmaceutical staff :
- pharmacist
- People who are in ( university ) training to become a pharmacist, i.e. in particular pharmacy interns (also called pharmacists in internship ) and other pharmacy students
- Pharmacist assistants [outdated job description, therefore only to be found occasionally]
- Pharmaceutical Technical Assistants (PTAs)
- People who are in vocational training to become a PTA
( Professions pending DDR -times: )
Pharmaceutical tasks may only be carried out by pharmaceutical staff. According to § 3 ApBetrO these are the following activities:
- Development, manufacture , testing and dispensing of pharmaceuticals
- Information and advice on medicines
- In the case of pharmacies supplying hospitals (possibly in addition to the other points): checking or monitoring the drug stocks of the affiliated hospital
This list is exhaustive ( exhaustively ), which is a so-called. Enumeration .
The implementation of pharmaceutical work generally requires the supervision of a pharmacist; However, this does not apply to pharmacist assistants and pharmaceutical engineers who are largely allowed to work independently "under the responsibility" (quote) of a pharmacist. PTAs are also allowed to dispense drugs under the supervision of a pharmacist (in contrast to pharmaceutical commercial employees (PKAs); see below ).
Non-pharmaceutical personnel
Non-pharmaceutical personnel are all other employees in the pharmacy, i.e. above all
- Pharmaceutical Commercial Employees (PKAs),
- Pharmacy assistant [PKA predecessor job (until 1993)] and
- Pharmacy skilled worker [GDR occupation].
Non-pharmaceutical personnel may only be involved to a limited extent for pharmaceutical tasks. These few permitted activities include, among others
- supporting pharmaceutical colleagues in the manufacture and testing of pharmaceuticals and
- the control of drug stocks in old people's homes .
Pharmacy management
The ApBetrO also regulates the position of the pharmacy manager , who must be a licensed pharmacist . This may in principle
- up to four weeks a year by an assistant pharmacist or pharmaceutical engineer or
- up to three months from another pharmacist
represented (→ representation (Germany) ). The representation may take place in one piece or in several time intervals. Pharmacist assistants and pharmaceutical engineers may only act as representatives if
- no pharmacist is available,
- they have at least six months of professional experience in a public pharmacy when they take up the representation , and
- are suitable in terms of their knowledge , skills and reliability.
The professional experience (2.) is only considered to have been provided if the activity was carried out full-time during this time , which means here: with a time scope of more than half of the weekly working hours stipulated by the collective agreement within the last twelve months before starting the substitution.
- Exceptions to the right of representation for pharmacist assistants and pharmaceutical engineers
- Pharmacy managers a) a main pharmacy of one or more branch pharmacies ("license holder") or b) of a pharmacy supplying hospital may only be represented by another licensed pharmacist.
Notification requirement
A representation in the pharmacy management is to be reported to the responsible supervisory authority - except in the case of only hourly representation . This can demand evidence that this is an exceptional case.
Further regulations
In addition to qualifications with regard to professional training , the ApBetrO also regulates other basic requirements for the staff employed in the pharmacy . For example, an employee may only be deployed in accordance with their respective skills and knowledge . Furthermore, he must have knowledge of the applicable legal provisions and all employees must be able to speak German .
In addition, every pharmacy (regardless of whether it is a public pharmacy or a hospital pharmacy ) must employ as many staff as “as required”.