Advice and guidance to support appropriate retention and storage of pharmacy-related records.

Read first for an overview of our recommendations

Retaining and storing pharmacy records in England

Information on legal requirements and national guidance for retention of pharmacy records to support pharmacy professionals with local decision making.

Types of records

Technical service records in hospital pharmacy

Recommendations on the retention of pharmacy records relating to aseptic and technical services within hospitals.

Additional services records in community pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of records relating to Advanced services, Enhanced services and Public Health campaigns in community pharmacy.

Prescription and dispensing records in community pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of records relating to prescriptions and the dispensing processes in community pharmacy.

Controlled Drugs records in pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of records relating to Controlled Drugs (CDs) in all hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy and secure environment settings.

Stock handling, waste and recall records in pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of records from operational management of medicines all hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy and secure environment settings.

Prescription and dispensing records in hospital pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of records relating to prescriptions and the dispensing processes in hospital pharmacy.

Medicines information or advice records in hospital pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of records relating to medicines information or medicines advice services in predominantly hospital pharmacy settings.

Clinical governance and patient safety records in pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of clinical governance and incident records in all hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy and secure environment settings.

Supply and distribution records in hospital pharmacy

Recommendations for the retention of records relating to the supply and distribution functions within hospital pharmacy, including unlicensed medicines.

Miscellaneous records in hospital pharmacy

Requirements for paperwork relating to signatures, self-administration, superseded IV monographs, formulary committee, PSD, PGD and national protocols.

Clinical trial records in hospital pharmacy

Recommendations on the retention of pharmacy records relating to clinical trials within hospitals.
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