On receipt of prescriptions for antibiotics, pharmacy staff should ask patients the following key questions: 

• What has the antibiotic has been prescribed for? 

This is to help ensure appropriateness. In addition, before reconstituting liquid antibiotics, it is worth checking if the course is to start immediately or if it is for a delayed prescription, as some patients may not realise it has a short expiry once reconstituted. An example question could be: “To help the pharmacist in checking your prescription, can you please tell me what part of the body the antibiotic has been prescribed for or did the doctor let you know the type of infection he/she wants to treat with the antibiotic?”

• Is the patient pregnant, breastfeeding or having problems with their kidneys or liver? 

This is to check that the antibiotic or dose is safe for the patient

• Are there any known allergies? 

Record allergies on the PMR system.

• If applicable, have they had their flu vaccination? 

N.B. When handing over the dispensed antibiotics, patients should be provided with the following key messages and encouraged to ask questions:

• Take the medicine as prescribed, stating the dose, frequency and duration
• If the antibiotic needs to be taken before or after food or it does not matter
• Don’t share antibiotics with others or reuse them after the stated duration
• Return any unused antibiotics to the pharmacy (do not dispose of them at home by, for example, flushing down the toilet or sink).