Paper Code: M-EPA-PSA2001

Pharmacy Services Assistant

Mock EPA Knowledge Test

The seal on this examination paper must only be broken by the learner at the time of the examination.
Under no circumstances should a learner use an unsealed examination paper.

Under no circumstances should you the candidate use an unsealed examination paper.
This examination consists of 45 multiple-choice questions. This breaks down into:
 40 multiple-choice questions worth 1 mark each
 5 scenario-based multiple-choice questions worth 2 marks each.
The exam is worth 50 marks, with a pass being 33 marks and a distinction 43 marks.
The duration of this examination is 90 minutes.
You are NOT allowed any assistance to complete the answers.
You must use a pencil to complete the answer sheet – pens must NOT be used.
When completed, please leave the examination answer sheet (EAS) on the desk.

EXAMINATION ANSWER SHEET (EAS) INSTRUCTIONS:

For each question, fill in ONE answer ONLY.
If you make a mistake, ensure you erase it thoroughly.
You must mark your choice of answer by shading in ONE answer circle only.
Please mark each choice like this:

July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001

The following multiple-choice questions are worth 1 mark each.

The dispensing label on prescription medication Which of the following prescribers cannot write
must include: NHS prescriptions?
A. the date of the prescription A. Vet
B. a 'keep out of reach of children' warning B. Doctor
C. the name of the prescriber C. Dentist
D. a batch number D. Pharmacist Independent Prescriber

How many flucloxacillin 250mg capsules will you Which of the following is not a principle of the
need to dispense to fulfil a prescription for 1 GPhC standards for pharmacy professionals?
capsule 4 times a day for 1 week?
A. Use professional judgement
A. 14
B. The patient is always right
B. 20
C. Speak up when they have concerns
C. 28
D. Communicate effectively
D. 56

Which of the following would be described as a A pregnant woman asks about taking a specific
solid? medicine. The most appropriate person to refer
her to is:
A. Gel
A. the registered pharmacist
B. Emulsion
B. the pre-registration pharmacist
C. Liquid capsules
C. any member of staff who is more experienced
D. Caplets
than you
D. the registered pharmacy technician

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
Your pharmacy often collects details from its The most appropriate way of treating patients as
patients. If it wants to hold this information on valuable and unique individuals is:
file, it will need to comply with:
A. having conversations tailored to their needs
A. data protection requirements
B. always promoting the latest healthcare
B. consumer legislation campaign to all patients

C. the Consumer Credit Act C. using a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to

communication
D. health and safety requirements
D. always telling the patient to read the Patient
Information Leaflet

2c
Who cannot legally sell pharmacy (P) medicines?
A. A newly qualified pharmacy technician What would be the most serious consequence of
not maintaining the confidentiality of patient
B. A locum pharmacist who has not worked at
information?
your pharmacy before
A. Loss of staff
C. A pre-registration pharmacist who is in their
first week of training B. Legal action being taken
D. A team member who is not yet registered on C. Lower profits
an 'over the counter' course
D. Loss of reputation

750mg is equal to:

Which of the following would not be an
A. 0.0075g appropriate way to communicate with patients
B. 0.075g who do not speak English as a first language?

C. 0.75g A. Using an online translation tool

D. 7.5g B. Enlisting the help of a colleague who speaks

the same language as the patient
C. Talking to the patient’s representative who can
speak English with their permission
D. Speaking as quickly and as loudly as possible

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
Which of the following drugs needs denaturing Which of the following would be most useful to
before disposal? reduce conflict with patients on discovering a
dispensing error?
A. Methotrexate 10mg tablets
A. Apologise and refer them to a supervisor
B. Ventolin Evohaler
B. Reassure the patient that they will be fine
C. Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN) tablets
C. Explain that the dispensary team have been
D. MST Continus 10mg tablets
very busy
D. Tell the patient that they will be contacted
after the issue has been investigated

Which of the following exemption certificates can

be provided by a GP?
The most important reason for obtaining patient
A. An NHS tax credit exemption certificate consent is to:
B. A medical exemption certificate A. ensure repeat business
C. An HC2 certificate B. build a mailing list for health promotions
D. A pre-payment certificate C. comply with the law
D. maintain patient loyalty

What process must have been completed before

Which of the following standards is not required
an accuracy checking technician (ACT) can
when maintaining Patient Medication Records
complete the accuracy check?
(PMR)?
A. The ACT must have labelled the prescription
A. Be protected by password
B. The patient must have given their permission
B. Hold enough information to enable accurate
for ACT to check
identification
C. The pharmacist must have completed the
C. Hold the prescription details including drug
clinical check
information
D. The ACT must have dispensed the prescription
D. Store the next of kin details

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
 2 (continued)

Which of the following forms is paracetamol not Which of the following cannot be provided by
available in? cancer and diabetes support groups to support
the wellbeing of patients?
A. Tablets
A. Patient focus groups
B. Suppositories
B. Helplines
C. Eye drops
C. Encouragement to take an active interest in
D. A suspension
managing their health and wellbeing
D. Decisions made on behalf of the patient
without their consent

What information should you give a patient when

issuing a prescription for metronidazole tablets?
A. Do not drive or operate machinery You identify that the nearest fire escape has been
blocked by a delivery. The most appropriate
B. Do not consume alcohol action you should take is to:
C. Do not consume caffeine A. finish what you are doing and make a mental
D. Keep refrigerated note to report it later
B. clear the obstruction immediately and report
to the appropriate person
C. contact the wholesaler to complain about the
delivery being left in front of a fire exit
Good communication skills are one of the most
important features of an effective team. The D. ask a colleague to remove the obstruction
main reason for this is that good communication when they return from their lunch break
skills:
A. ensure that everyone knows what they are
doing
Which of the following storage solutions is most
B. mean there will be no disagreements likely to ensure that information is kept
confidential?
C. will improve staff punctuality
A. A filing cabinet in the consultation room
D. can help staff to arrange social events
B. A dispensary drawer
C. A password-protected computer
D. A box in the stock room

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
Of the following, the best examples of person- When handing out a prescription to a patient you
centred care are: notice that there is also one for a family member.
You must:
A. reflection, record keeping and efficient service
provision A. tell them there is a prescription however, you
cannot give it to them
B. policies, procedures, processes and protocols
B. tell them there is a prescription and ask if they
C. communication, meetings, supervision and
would like to collect it
appraisal
C. not discuss the family members' prescription
D. dignity, respect, choice and independence
with the patient
D. give them the family members' prescription
and ask them to pass it on

Which of the following would not be a valid

document for the supply of a Prescription Only
Medicine (POM)? How many millilitres are there in 0.3 litres of
A. NHS prescription solution?

B. Written recommendation from the optician A. 0.003ml

C. Signed order from a GP B. 30ml

D. Private prescription C. 300ml

D. 3000ml

Risk assessments help to reduce the number of

workplace accidents by: The correct way to dispose of unused patient
medicine labels is to:
A. identifying the risk control measures that
need to be put in place A. put them in the general waste bin

B. requiring additional training for all employees B. put them in the recycling bin

C. requiring the use of personal protective C. put them in the DOOP bin
equipment (PPE)
D. put them in the confidential waste bin
D. stating that only experienced persons can
be employed

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
Which patient would benefit the most from Which of the following would be the least
receiving a liquid antibiotic rather than a capsule appropriate healthy lifestyle advice to give to a
or tablet? diabetic patient who smokes?
A. An 18-year-old student with an ear infection A. Healthy eating

B. A 6-month-old baby B. How to count calories

C. A mum with 2 children C. Taking regular exercise

D. A 60-year-old diabetic D. Quitting smoking

By developing your wider pharmaceutical You notice that a bottle of chloramphenicol eye
knowledge, you are most likely to: drops has been left on the shelf with the other
eye drops. The most appropriate action to take is
A. reduce staff turnover
to:
B. understand how to reduce thefts in the
A. write off the medication and dispose of it as
pharmacy
per the organisational SOPs
C. improve the quality of advice you give patients
B. use this for the next prescription you receive
D. minimise the loss of stock for these drops
C. place them in the fridge
D. leave them where they are

As you are going on your lunch, you notice that a

customer has spilt a bottle of lactulose on the
floor. The first thing you should do is: Who would you refer to if a patient asks to
A. place a hazard sign near it and deal with it on purchase ibuprofen and antacids?
your return A. Pharmacy technician
B. make customers aware of it and clean it up B. Pre-registration Pharmacist
straight away
C. Pharmacist
C. tell a colleague and then go for lunch
D. Pharmacy assistant
D. hide the spillage with paper towels while you
go to get the mop and bucket

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
 Communication between members of the The least effective way to promote your
dispensary team in a pharmacy has broken down. pharmacy through social media platforms would
The most severe consequence of this would be: be to:
A. poor advice being given A. post staff vacancies
B. dispensing errors being made B. send friend requests to all your regular
C. delays in the supply of medication customers

D. shortages in pharmacy stock C. post details of a charity event that you and
some of your colleagues are taking part in
D. post information relating to public health
campaigns

You notice that a computer has been left

unlocked and is displaying a Patient Medication
Record (PMR) on screen. The first action you
should take is to: It is important to get patients actively involved in
their own health and care because it can:
A. find out who left the computer unlocked
A. reduce the number of patients
B. find the pharmacist so you can report it
B. free up the pharmacists' time
C. review the information on screen
C. encourage patients to take ownership of their
D. lock the computer own health and wellbeing
D. increase sales of vitamins and supplements

Questions continue on next page

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
 The following multiple-choice questions are worth 2 marks each.

A patient requires 5ml of antibiotic oral liquid 3 You are speaking to a patient who doesn't
times a day. The doctor has prescribed it for 14 understand your instructions on how to take their
days. How much will you need to supply to fulfil new medication. Which would be the least
the prescription? effective way to help support their
understanding?
A. 100ml
A. Speak slowly
B. 105ml
B. Let them read the patient information leaflet
C. 150ml
when they get home
D. 210ml
C. Use straight forward language
D. Allow extra time for reading

A new SOP has been introduced to support the

supply of controlled drugs. To ensure that the
new procedures are undertaken safely, you A work colleague slips on a wet floor and suffers a
should: suspected broken arm. What is the most
A. dispose of the old SOP in the general waste appropriate procedure to follow after the
casualty has been taken care of?
B. file the new SOP safely for future reference
A. Accident recording and reporting
C. read and understand the new SOP by the given
deadline B. A full evacuation of the area

D. continue to follow the current SOP because it C. Disciplinary procedures

works well D. Counselling services

A patient would like to discuss a sensitive issue.

They appear embarrassed and unable to make
eye contact. The most appropriate action to take
is to:
A. continue the conversation at the counter
B. offer the use of a consultation room
C. tell the patient that there is nothing to be
embarrassed about
D. refer the patient to someone else

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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001
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July 2020 M-EPA-PSA2001