Notifying the Pharmacy Council if you consider a pharmacist is unwell
Under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 a registered pharmacist is required to be 'fit to practise'. This means they must be mentally and physically able to perform the functions required to practise pharmacy. Conditions that may affect a pharmacist's ability to practise could include:
- alcohol or drug dependence
- mental health issues
- stress related impairment
- declining competence due to loss of motor skills or the early stages of dementia,
- other illnesses and injuries
If you are:
- a health practitioner
- in charge of an organisation that provides health services, or a pharmacist's employer, or
- in charge of an educational programme in New Zealand for a scope of practice (if you believe the student completing the course would be unable to perform the functions required to practise pharmacy).
and you have reason to believe a pharmacist is unable to perform the functions required to practise pharmacy because they may be unwell, you must notify the Pharmacy Council in writing. Please address any correspondence relating to your notification to the Registrar. The Council may disclose your notification to the pharmacist concerned where appropriate. To email a notification, please email the Pharmacy Council.
If you are a member of the public, you may notify the Council of your concerns but it is often useful to talk to another pharmacist about these before you make a formal notification.
If you are a pharmacist and have concerns about a colleague, please the section titled "Concerns About Colleagues".
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