Small child in pharmacy dispensing area

[Verbena17]

I can’t seem to find any rules/guideline/risk assessment info about this but I’ve just been to my local pharmacy to collect some meds for my mum and there’s the pharmacist and pharmacy assistant and and a little girl - all in the dispensing area.

The child was probably about 6 or 7 and whilst dishing out my mum’s meds, the pharmacist is also squirting ketchup on something for the child, who then leaves.

Me and my daughter look at each other thinking ‘this is weird’ and ‘we thought there’s rules on who is allowed in the dispensing area, due to the pharmacist needing to concentrate when counting and dispensing meds. Along with the fact that she was a very young child amongst pharmaceutical drugs and private medical information (prescriptions).

The pharmacist brusquely gave me the meds and when I asked her the type of medication (so I could explain a bit to my mum), she told me the name, spun round and walked off. Didn’t ask if I had any questions - nothing.

Doesn’t this seem a bit weird/breaking some sort of really important safeguarding rules etc?

I’m not trying to be a bore but even my daughter (who usually doesn’t care about that sort of thing) said it was really weird and unprofessional.

I agree she shouldn't be behind there! I'm guessing it's her parent who works there, but still she isn't supposed too.

If the child left the area it doesn't sound as if she was in there for long. Was probably in a staff room and just came in because she needed help with something. Not ideal but I expect the parent had been let down by childcare. Probably just a one off situation.

it looked like the pharmacist is her mum.
She was wearing school uniform.
On other days, there’s been a delivery guy behind there having a chat with the bloke who assists. It all seems quite unprofessional.

Surely if the child went back to a staff room, she should have stayed in it to begin with and the mother go to her, not she stood leaning on the dispensing desk, surrounded by medication.

I don't think it was appropriate, no. But I also wouldn't say anything if she wasn't causing any trouble and just seemed to pop in for help with something.

It’s not appropriate, no. But could also have just been a snapshot in time. Doesn’t necessarily mean the child is in there all the time, or that she was in there for hours on this occasion. Like PP has said it could be she popped in for help with the ketchup etc.

Pharmacies are private businesses, like a corner shop. Although they do have to be professionals, and have the right licenses, I suppose it’s their space to treat as they like.

I do agree in the sense that the kid should not be around potentially lethal medication but AFAIK controlled substances are supposed to be locked away anyway.

edited to add not the owner needs to be a professional, but employ registered pharmacists

No pharmacist on duty, no dispensing, no pharmacy. Seems like her childcare arrangements had fallen through, and rather than have to close up, she took the only other alternative available to her.

There is a severe shortage of pharmacists.

And no child of that age is going to be able to make head or tail of personal information written on prescriptions or what the medication is.

Yes i guess so.
It was the more the medication that concerned me more than the private medical info.