Community pharmacy

Definition : Community Pharmacy referred to retail pharmacy or retail drug outlets where medicines are stored and
dispenses, supplied or sold. Community pharmacy include those establishments that are privately owned and
whose function is to serve the society needs for both drug products and the pharmaceutical services.

• The main responsibilities of a community pharmacy include compounding, counseling, and dispensing of drugs
on prescription to the patients with care, accuracy, and legality along with proper procurement, storage,
dispensing and documentation of medicines.
• The community pharmacist should have the required education, skills, and competence to deliver professional
services.
• The community pharmacist should give detail about prescription and advise about home health care supplies.

Functions of Community Pharmacy:

• Providing health information to patient and public

• Administration of pharmacy
• Store, dispensing and documentation of medicine
• Compounding of medicine
• Provide drug information and their action
• Handling of prescriptions
• Patient counseling
• Patient medication record
• Involve in National health programme
• Rational drug therapy

ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF RETAIL AND WHOLESALE DRUG STORE

• Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO):- Headed by the Drugs Controller General (India) (DCGI)
which discharges the functions allocated to Central Government by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
• State Drugs Control Organizations:- The State Drugs Control Organization was set up in the state to implement
the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and its subsequent amendments.
• Manufacturing
• Wholesaler
• Retailer
• Consumer

Design of drug store (retail and wholesale drug store)

• A modern drug store should fulfill all the requirements in schedule N of the Drug and Cosmetic rule 1945.
• Minimum floor space required for a drug store
o Wholesale drug store: 200sqft
o Retail drug store: 150sqft

Site:

• Should be at the centre of the population to be served

• Ensure accessibility and convenience
• Equipped with adequate and free parking facility.

Objective of ideal layout design:

• To attract a large number of customers

• To increase the sales of the store
• To reduce the selling expenses to the minimum
• To provide customer satisfaction
• Have adequate space for reserve stock, office and resting space
• To have proper entrance for the newly arrived goods
• To project a professional image and improve general appearance
• To minimize the movement of the customers in the premises of the pharmacy

Types of a drug store: On the basis of design, it is classified as:

1. Traditional Drug Stores: These types of drug stores are designed in such a manner that the entire area of Drug
store is exposed to customers. Such a design has pleasing and professional appearance and is convenient for
both workers and customers. It provides opportunity for maximum sales but there are good chances of theft in
such design.
2. Personal Service Drug Stores: In this type of design, the whole of the area is not exposed to the customer but
the customer is required to interact with the drug store personnel at the service counter. During the purchasing
process the customer demands an article and the personnel provide the articles. This service and design
facilitates maximum interaction between drug store employee and the customers. The success of the drug store
depends upon the convenience and friendly service of the personnel at the service counter.
3. Prescription Oriented Drug Store: These types of drug stores provide a comfortable waiting area where the
customers are expected to wait while his prescription is proceeding. In this type of design health related items,
drugs and prescription accessories are displayed in the vicinity while orthopedic and surgical appliances are
kept in a separate room. Cosmetics and gifts are arranged in a suitable area in the store.
4. Pharmaceutical Centre: These types of centre sell medicines, convenience articles, orthopedic and surgical
appliances. The store has sufficient floor space and is properly decorated.
5. Super Drug store: Such types of drug stores have a huge floor area ranging from 5,000 to 10000 with a square
design. The customers have access to all-most-all the area in the drug store and can inspect, handle and select
articles themselves. The design is on self service pattern except for the prescription department where self
service is not possible.

Legal requirements for the establishment of retail drug store:

1) Licenses:
a). General Licenses:- Granted to person who have the premise for the business and a qualified person to
supervise the sale of the drugs and do the compounding sand dispensing.
The licenses for general sale of drugs are issued in
Form 20- The license for the retail sale of drugs excludes which are mentioned in the Schedule C, C1 and X
Form 21- For drugs specified in Schedule C and C1 and excluding X
Form 20F –for drugs specified in schedule X

Conditions for general licenses:-

1.The license should be displayed in prominent place in a part of premises open to the public.
 2.The license should comply with the provision of drug and cosmetics act and rules.
3.Any change in the staff should be reported to the licensing authority within one month.
4.Precaution prescribed by the licensing authority for the storage of Schedule C and C1 should be observed.
5.For the sale of additional categories of drug listed in Schedule C1 C1 excluding X the license must take
prior permission of the license authority.

b). Restricted Licenses: Granted to dealers or person who deal in sale of drugs, which do not require the service
of qualified person.
The licenses for the restricted sale of drugs are issued in
Form 20A – for drugs other than those specified in Schedule C, C1 and X
Form 21A – for drug specified in Schedule C and C1 but not in X
No license is granted for schedule X drugs in this category

Conditions for restricted licenses:

1.Drug should be sold in their original container.
2.License should be complying with the provision of drugs and Cosmetics Acts and Rules.
3.Drug only purchased from a duly licensed dealer.
4.The licenser must have adequate premises equipped with facilities for the proper storage of drug.

2) Staff (Personnel): Personnel or staff selection is one of the most important aspects of developing an efficient
operating community pharmacy.
Success of a community pharmacy depends upon proper selection training, and maintenance of employees
(staff).
Selection of staff: Following criteria should be followed during the selection of the staff for community
pharmacy:
a. Should be a register pharmacist, having minimum qualification
b. Selection should be based on Job description, Job specification, Job recruitment based on test, interview etc
c. This job description should contain such detail as scope of job, its relation to other jobs, working hours, and
pay scale, etc. It prevents misunderstanding about the nature of the duties of a particular job.
d. Promotion within a pharmacy staff may be appropriate. But in most of the cases external source must be
used such as employment agencies, placement offices of schools and universities or classified news paper
advertising.
Orientation and training of staff: After proper selection needs to be followed by adequate orientation and
training of the employee, which results in increase productivity and reduced employee turnover.
Compensation: Retaining good employees is one of the most difficult problems faced by the community
pharmacy manger. Many factors decides keeping of employees but most important factor is the compensation
plan. Adequate compensation is necessary, not only to retain employee but also to encourage them to work
toward the over all goals and objectives of the pharmacy.

Maintenance of records:- 1). Legal records 2). Patient records 3). Financial records

Legal records: Required by law regarding the acquisition and disposition of drugs.
a. Pharmacy owner is responsible for maintenance of adequate and up to date records of drugs and poisons
as per Drugs and cosmetics act 1940, Rules 1945 and the Poison Act 1919.
b. Pharmacist should maintain record related to acquisition and disposition of certain drugs, poisonous and
hazardous substances.
c. Improper or incomplete maintained record may bring legal action or penalties

Patient records: Regarding the patient utilization of the drugs.

a. Patients drug history and amount of drugs taken by average patients.
b. Source of information on insurance claims and income tax deduction of patients.

Financial records: Regarding the past and present financial status

a. Analyzing revenues and expenses, for making sound decision regarding future needs, inventory
requirements, etc.
b. For evaluation of past operations, planning of present activities, forecasting needs, and controlling the
activities.
c. Measuring return on investment.