Empowering you to meet regulatory and best practice requirements

All team members are responsible for making sure that every split pack is clearly marked on ALL sides to prevent these being dispensed as full packs in error. The pack scanning functionality in Columbus checks the accuracy of the item selected, but the pack must be checked for markings and if applicable an intact tamper-evident seal to confirm that it is not a split pack. The expiry date of every item must also be checked.

Scan to Accuracy Check allows for the use of dispensary stock (i.e. where there is an overstock). When picking stock, you may select a combination of split and full packs. However, you must only process full packs using Scan to Accuracy Check and when split packs are used, they must always be segregated and dispensed via scan article.

There are several countries in which the risk of malaria is seasonal and antimalarials are only required for certain times of the year. Where a traveller’s itinerary coincides with the start or end of the seasonal risk period, you will need to discuss this with your traveller to explain the recommendation and the quantity of antimalarials offered and when they should be taken. 

The 2024 malaria prevention guidelines for travellers from the UK state ‘seasonal rainfall increases mosquito breeding and in some areas malaria is highly seasonal.’ Due to difficulty predicting exactly when the seasonal risk will start and end, and with patient safety in mind, antimalarials will be offered to cover the two weeks before the season starts and for the two weeks after the end of the season. It is important to explain to travellers the issues affecting seasonal risk and how this affects the recommendations for antimalarials.

An example: A traveller is visiting South Africa from 1 August until 1 October. The dates of the trip coincide with a change in seasonal risk, which is thought to start from September and end in May. Antimalarials will therefore be recommended for this traveller from mid-August, to cover the two weeks prior to the expected risk season as a precaution.

Hajj 1446H/2025 is expected to occur between 4 to 9 June 2025. For further details, including how we can provide great care for people travelling this year, please see ‘Travel CPD Document for Travel Healthcare – April 2025’. This can be accessed on Pharmacy Unscripted.

We strongly recommend that all our team members that carry out services where there is a risk of needlestick injury or other blood exposure, are vaccinated against Hepatitis B. This includes team members providing vaccination services, phlebotomy, point of care testing or involved in needle exchange services. The Hepatitis B Prophylaxis Vaccination Service is available free for eligible team members at any of our Travel Vaccinations & Health Advice Service stores. Further information can be accessed on BootsLive.