This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to assist pharmacists to prepare ingredients and non-sterile extemporaneous pharmaceutical products from fixed formulas.

This unit applies to senior dispensary assistants working in community pharmacies. When preparing extemporaneous prescriptions, they work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist and their role is limited to those compounding functions that do not require them to exercise professional pharmaceutical judgement or discretion.

This unit incorporates the requirement for pharmacy assistants to comply with federal, state and territory law and Pharmacy Board of Australia Guidelines for supplying scheduled Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3). At the time of publication, they are not, however, required to hold an occupational licence or to be certified as competent in this unit to dispense scheduled medicines.