Exploration of the Implementation of Barcode Scanning Technology within Scottish Community Pharmacies

Within Scotland and internationally, there is a need to modernise community pharmacy settings to improve patient safety and the successful operation of pharmacy businesses [1]. The use of novel technology, such as barcode scanning technology, has the potential to impact these areas and may become more common. An example of this in 2019was the legislative change in relation to the EU-wide Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD)[2]which necessitates the implementation of barcode scanning technology within all pharmacies to mitigate the risk of supplying counterfeit medicines to the public [2]. To ensure the safe introduction of barcode scanning technology within the dispensing process, it is necessary to explore how this could influence safety, performance and staff wellbeing. The discipline of Human Factors/Ergonomics (HFE) can allow for such exploration as it focuses on understanding the interactions between humans and the other elements of work system design[3], such as the job tasks performed; the tools and technology used; the immediate workspace; the wider physical environment; the organisational arrangements and contexts; and the social, political and economic climate [4].