On receipt of prescriptions for antibiotics, pharmacy staff should ask patients: 

1. What has the antibiotic 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 the short expiry once reconstituted.
2. Are there any known allergies?
   Record allergies on the PMR system.
3. If applicable, have they had their flu vaccination?
   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 (state dose, frequency and duration)
• 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 them down the toilet or sink).