Medication training for reception staff

RE: Medication training for reception staff

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 19:43:54 GMT

Hi Sue

Doing the MCQs is optional, and the resulting CPD certificate is personalised to the account holder. You could sign up and use the content for lunch and learn - that's a great idea.

RE: Medication training for reception staff

Sue Cox — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 16:03:37 GMT

Thanks guys. It may be easy for them to follow the protocol but sometimes a bit of confidence in questions they might get like... "how often should I worm my new puppy? Do I need to treat for lungworm? I'm pregnant, can I handle this?" Most of these questions, there are resources and practice protocols but I actually really like the look of the veterinaryprescrber.org. I doubt they'd work through it themselves (struggle to get them to do a self taught First Aid course!) but would it be possible for me to sign up, give them a choice of modules and then use this to do my own lunch and learn with them? Or does the person that signs up need to pass modules etc? Thanks again

RE: Medication training for reception staff

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 08:41:29 GMT

There's no requirement for anyone involved in dispensing medicines to have a specific qualification. The vet takes responsibility for it all. But it's important for those involved to have an understanding of the legal aspects and safe and effective use of medicines. Surely having people on the front line who are well informed is good for client relations. There is the BSAVA dispensing course which is run infrequently.

The SQP qualifiation enables a person to prescribe and supply POM-VPS (you're right - as you say, only relevant in farm practice) and to sell and supply NFA-VPS products (mainly companion animal parasiticides). There have been a lot of reclassifications of products from prescription to otc recently, and so a growing number and range that can be supplied in this way. If a practice only supplies prescription parasiticides, knowing about otc meds can seem pointless. But it might be a benefit for a practice to have someone who can sell these medicines without supervision. The SQP qualitfaiton has traditionally been about farm animals, but there are changes afoot. This is an area that's going to develop in future.

RE: Medication training for reception staff

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 08:26:46 GMT

https://cpd.veterinaryprescriber.org/ is a CPD resource on veterinary medicines for non-vet professionals in small animal practice. It covers a wide range of topics. A new one is produced every month. it's especially good for making sense of flea and tick products and wormers. It's not a free resource because it's not sponsored by any company. The quality of the information is excellent. Your practice might want to subscribe - it can be included in a practice subscription for www.veterinaryprescriber.org.

RE: Medication training for reception staff

apache — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 00:19:10 GMT

The only thing you need to worry about is their accuracy and abilities to follow protocol with dispensing. It's fine for them to flag up when something hasn't been seen within the practice protocol (6 months/12 months for flea and worm is common). Fine for them to know that the practice won't repeat eye/ear meds without a recheck first (unless specifically stated in the notes). Personally I'm happy them checking the record and getting things ready but then that is to be checked and initialed by a vet before it goes out.

Draw up your practice protocol and ensure they stick to it. I don't want them giving advice and I don't want over-confidence. Everything is to be checked. Ideally audit the process.

For small animals the SQP training is probably pointless. If you do large animal or equine then probably worth it.