GGOODOOD
       PHARMACY PRACTICE  
       IN SOUTH AFRICA
                            Good 
                            Pharmacy
                            Practice in 
                            South Africa
                                        
                                    Fourth Edition, 2010
                                                                                                      FOREWORD
                                                                                             Managing change in the workplace is always a challenge. The South African 
                                                                                             Pharmacy Council’s vision is to strive for quality pharmaceutical services for 
                                                                                             all the people of South Africa, and the Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) manu-
                                                                                             al affords us the opportunity to improve the quality of our work. The addi-
              Good Pharmacy Practice Manual                                                  tional standards in this edition aim at doing just that - to assist in the promo-
              Fourth edition, 2010                                                           tion of the provision of pharmaceutical care which complies with universal 
                                                                                             norms and values, both in the private and public sector, and the promotion 
              PRODUCED BY:                                                                   of the health and quality of life of patients. The GPP standards are for use 
              The South African Pharmacy Council                                             by all practising pharmacists and other healthcare professionals providing a 
              591 Belvedere Street                                                           pharmaceutical-related service to patients. All healthcare professionals are 
              PO Box 40040                                                                   therefore urged to embrace the manual and support its implementation.
              ARCADIA
              0007                                                                           Comments or any other constructive criticism that may lead to the continu-
              0861 7272 00 (Customer Care line)
              +27 (0) 12 321 1492 (Fax)                                                      ous improvement of this document may be sent to council. Let us strive to 
                                                                                             improve quality care in pharmacy.
              COMPILED AND EDITED BY:
              Office of the Registrar                                                        “The mind of man is capable of anything – because everything is in it, all the 
              DESIGN AND LAYOUT BY:                                                          past as well as all the future.” - Joseph Conrad.
              Office of the Registrar
              COVER DESIGN BY:
              Office of the Registrar
              ENQUIRIES TO:
              The South African Pharmacy Council
                                                                                             TA MASANGO
              Copyright © 1997, 2004, 2008, 2010 by the South African Pharmacy Council       REGISTRAR
                                                                                                      Copyright © 2010  The South African Pharmacy Council. All rights reserved
                      MESSAGE FROM THE SAPC                                                                                  AckNOWLEDGEMENTS
                                         PRESIDENT
                  The South African Pharmacy Council strives continuously to ensure that the                             The Office of the Registrar acknowledges with appreciation the inputs from the 
                  highest standards are maintained in the manner in which pharmaceutical serv-                           office, council members and other contributors from the profession. This 4th 
                  ices are provided, and that any new amendments or additions to the Good                                edition is a culmination of the work of these individuals in ensuring that council 
                  Pharmacy Practice (GPP) standards are brought to the attention of all pharma-                          fulfils its mandate, in respect of the Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) standards, of 
                  cists and other healthcare professionals at the earliest opportunity.                                  establishing, developing and controlling universally acceptable standards of prac-
                                                                                                                         tice of the various categories of persons required to be registered in terms of 
                  While this new manual is produced in line with council’s desire to routinely                           the Pharmacy Act.
                  update the manual when new developments necessitate doing so, it is also sig-                          Council Members (2003 - 2008)
                  nificant that the current amendments, relating to matters of confidential main-
                  tenance and disposal of patient information, coincide with two issues that are                         Prof. PFK Eagles (President)  
                  likely to dominate the healthcare landscape in South Africa for a long time into                       Ms LN Peteni (Vice-President)  
                  the future. The first is the intensification of the battle against HIV and AIDS                        Ms M Cassimjee (Treasurer)  
                  which will require that stigma and lack of confidentiality do not continue to                          Mr L Ambler                        Mr W Bannatyne 
                  impede people living with HIV from seeking help from the healthcare system,                            Ms VJ Beaumont                     Prof. CM Dangor
                  be it in the public or the private sector.                                                             Ms M Hela                          Mr KA Johnson 
                                                                                                                         Mr GM Kohn                         Ms S Lebeko-Ratlhagane 
                  The second issue is occasioned by the fact that government has decided to                              Prof. MMJ Lowes                    Mr MJV Moloto
                  move along with plans to prepare for the implementation of a national health                           Ms S Mthiyane                      Prof. DW Oliver
                  insurance (NHI) system. Whatever form it takes, all health facilities, including                       Ms L Osman                         Mr OMB Pharasi
                  community and hospital pharmacies, will have to meet certain standards if they                         Mr S Ramasala                      Mr CB Shabalala
                  are to be accredited to supply services to the NHI authority. It is thus important                     Mr F Shaikhnag                     Mr MS Shuping
                  that all our pharmacy facilities continue to strive to be compliant with the                           Ms V Thompson                      Ms M Thupana
                  requirements of GPP.                                                                                   Mr GN Van der Vyver
                                                                                                                               
                  It is for this reason that we wish to reiterate the call made previously for phar-                     Office of the Registrar
                  macists, pharmacist's assistants and other healthcare professionals, to boldly                         Mr TA Masango                      Ms HN Masiza
                  take ownership of the GPP document as its content will always be influenced by                         Mr SV Mokoena                      Mr VM Tlala
                  our joint efforts to improve pharmacy in our country.                                                  Ms E Venter                        Other staff members
                  Let us rise to the occasion and do the right thing!                                                    Contributors
                                                                                                                         Ms SJ Putter (Rational Pharmaceutical Management Plus Programme)
                                                                                                                         Prof. JS du Toit
                  BADA PHARASI
                  PRESIDENT
                              Copyright © 2010 The South African Pharmacy Council. All rights reserved                              Copyright © 2008 The South African Pharmacy Council. All rights reserved