Patient has right to more information

WE would like to thank “Just A Pharmacist” for the comments and feedback published in The Star dated June 9. Your insight and feedback is invaluable to us in the effort to improve the pharmacy services at our institutions. The Pharmacy Services Division (PSD) has always prioritised patient safety, and effectively communicating information pertaining to patients’ drugs are at the forefront of these efforts.

The PSD has always strived to ensure good dispensing practices are adopted and practiced among our pharmacists. As part of that effort, all government health facilities will provide counselling services to patients who are identified to be in need of additional information on their drug regimens or upon request from patients themselves or other colleagues within the healthcare system. In order to uphold ideal practices as well as ensure good quality of services, the PSD has taken the initiative to publish guidelines such as the Guide to Good Dispensing Practice, Tatacara Ringkas Pendispensan Ubat Kepada Pesakit and Garis Panduan Kaunseling Ubat-ubatan. As an extension to the published guidelines, audits or site visits are carried out by senior officers to ensure compliance to these guidelines and identify weaknesses in our current systems.