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A General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) fitness-to-practise (FtP) hearing has told a pharmacy technician who admitted making numerous false entries in the controlled drugs (CD) register at the pharmacy where she worked to fulfil a series of conditions for 12 months if she wants to continue practising.

April Gibb was initially handed a three-month suspension by a FtP committee in May this year after she pleaded guilty to 14 allegations of falsifying and retrospectively altering CD registers in 2021 and 2022 while working at Lindsay and Gilmour Pharmacy in Scotland.

She made false entries in registers covering opioids such as morphine sulfate MST 10mg, 15mg and 60mg, oxycodone as Longtec/Shortec and stimulants methylphenidate as Xaggitin XL, Medikinet/Tranquilyn. She also pleaded guilty to a 15^th allegation of failing to ensure “any amendments to entries on the CD registers was witnessed by another staff member”.

Committee found 'dishonesty was proved'

A report into the hearing said she admitted “part” of the 16^th allegation by insisting her conduct was “misleading but not dishonest”. However, the committee found “dishonesty was proved”.

The committee found she breached four standards including working in partnership with others, communicating effectively, using professional judgement and speaking up when there are concerns or when things go wrong.

Handing down a 12-month ‘conditions of practice’ order on August 15, which will start on September 12 after her suspension ends, the FtP committee said Gibb must notify the GPhC of all employment details and any changes and inform employers, superintendents, responsible pharmacists, line managers, locum agencies and the accountable officer for CDs about the conditions, as well as tell potential employers during the application stage.

The committee also told her to undergo GPhC-approved workplace supervision by a registered pharmacist or pharmacy technician, remain under remote supervision and consent to information-sharing.

Gibb will also be the subject of four monthly supervisor reports outlining her honesty, probity, candour and transparency. Another review will take place towards the end of the 12 months. 

She showed 'remorse and some insight into her behaviour'

During the initial hearing, the committee concluded a suspension was appropriate because she had “shown remorse and some insight into her behaviour and made admissions”. It also took into account she “was early on in her career when the behaviour happened and in a difficult professional position”.

“(Her) behaviour did seek to avoid negative consequences but there was no further malicious intent,” the committee said. It also found she felt under pressure and lacked “support and training” and made the false entries “to make the register balance and not for any other personal gain”.

The committee also took into account that Gibb made entries in a register in another pharmacy where she took work “without concern” and received a positive reference from her employer, as well as completed further training in relation to the accuracy checking pharmacy technician exam.

The committee said she “gained a new understanding of new SOPS and demonstrated regret for her actions in her oral evidence and emails”.

However, the committee was concerned by her admission that, having started work as a receptionist in a GP surgery, she did not inform her employer during her interview about the reason for leaving Lindsay and Gilmour Pharmacy.