Do You Need a DBS Check to Work in a Pharmacy?
Typically, pharmacists, who work in a responsible job with a diverse range of the public, are likely to need a DBS Check. There are of course various roles within a pharmacy setting, and it can be confusing working out which job role requires which level of DBS Check. This article here will explain all you need to know about DBS Checks for working in a Pharmacy.
Job Roles Within a Pharmacy
Many people who work in healthcare will require a DBS Check. But clearly there are differences to working in a pharmacy compared to a hospital or GP surgery. Therefore, not everyone who works in a pharmacy will require the same level of DBS Check.
Pharmacist
A Pharmacist will need an Enhanced DBS Check with Barred Lists because they will do regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults, in their role as head of the pharmacy. An Enhanced DBS Check with Barred List is the most in-depth DBS Check that can be carried out and will check for spent and unspent convictions, warnings, reprimands, cautions, locally held police information relevant to the job role, and will check that the person’s name does not appear on the government-maintained Barred Lists. These Checks cost £40. A person would appear on a barred list, if in the past they had committed a violent crime or abuse towards children or vulnerable adults. If you want a Pharmacist to start work in a role, and you are waiting for their Enhanced DBS Check to come back (this can take up to 8 weeks) you can ask for an Adult First Check, which costs £6 and is a quick check of the Barred Lists, then so long as they do not appear on there, they could start work providing they were supervised in their regulated activity, until their Enhanced DBS Check with Barred Lists comes back clear.
Technicians and Dispensary Assistants within a Pharmacy
The type of DBS Check required for a technician or dispensary assistant depends entirely on where their pharmacy is located.
If the technicians or assistants are ones who regularly interact with children and vulnerable adults, then they will need an Enhanced DBS Check. If the pharmacy is located within a GP Surgery, then this will need to be an Enhanced DBS Check with Barred Lists. But if the pharmacy is on a High Street or in the community then just an Enhanced DBS Check is sufficient.
Other Staff Members
Often pharmacies have staff who do not dispense medicine but work in the pharmacy. These staff members would not require, or be eligible for, a Standard or Enhanced DBS Check, and they won’t be carrying out regulated activity. If you wanted to check their background criminal history you could request a Basic DBS Check for them and this could give you reassurance that they pose little risk to the business, staff members or customers.
Applying for DBS Checks can be a little bit confusing, but providing you follow the guidelines above of ensuring Pharmacists have the highest level of Check, an Enhanced DBS with Barred Lists, and that technicians and assistants are either given the same level of Enhanced DBS with Barred Lists if they work in a GP Surgery, or simply an Enhanced DBS Check if they work on the High Street or in the Community, this should help. Most other members of staff, if they’re not doing regulated activity should be fine with a Basic DBS Check.
