09 May 2012

North Belfast Pharmacist Convicted At Belfast Magistrates Court

A 27 year old former Pharmacy manager at a North Belfast Chemist was yesterday convicted at Belfast Magistrates Court for illegally supplying prescription only medicines without GP prescriptions.

Fiona Mary Collins, from Bristow Park, Belfast was fined a total of £975 plus court costs, having pleaded guilty to 13 charges of unlawfully dispensing prescription only medicines, including controlled drugs.

The offences, breaches of the Medicines Act 1968, occurred over a ten month period in 2010, when she worked as the pharmacy manager at McKenzies Chemist, Ardoyne Road, Belfast. The offences, uncovered during an internal dispensing audit, did not result in any physical harm to the patients involved.

DHSSPS Medicines Regulatory Group Senior Enforcement Officer, Peter Moore said: "This conviction sends a clear message that patients and the public can have confidence that we will take decisive action where there has been significant breaches of the legislation."

The matter will now be referred to the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.

(CD/GK)