TEAM TRAINING: EPILEPSY

A community pharmacy environment that fosters teamwork ensured high levels of consumer satisfaction. This series of articles is designed for you to use as guide to assist your team in focusing on meeting ongoing CPD targets and to identify any training needs in order to keep the knowledge and skills of you and your team up to date.

The below information, considerations and checklist provides support to enable you to run a team training session and identify opportunities for learning within the topic of Epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder which affects the brain. It is a tendency to have repeated seizures. This tendency can be long term but the seizures can be controlled meaning that a person can have epilepsy but they may not have active seizures. Seizures can start in a part of the brain or happen in both sides of the brain at once. Nearly 40,000 people in Ireland have epilepsy as do 50 million people worldwide. For many people, their epilepsy affects them most while seizures are active. For others, the impact of having epilepsy may be longer term, if their seizures continue.

In half of cases there is no known cause. The person has no illness, disease or damage to explain epilepsy. This is called Idiopathic epilepsy. Some causes are inborn or developmental such as genetic abnormalities or structural problems in the brain like

Consider:

 Am I, my team, aware of the importance of medication adherence in epilepsy patients?  Are the team trained in all epilepsy treatments available and the suitability to each patient group?  Does my team know what to do when a patient suffers an epileptic seizure?

 Am I and my team educated on offering advice to epilepsy patients? malformed veins or areas which have not developed normally. Genetic factors can be unique to the person or hereditary. Most people with epilepsy have no family history of it but some epilepsies are more common in some families. A low seizure threshold, which can reduce the brain's resistance to a seizure, may run in families. Some epilepsies are genetic but may not be inherited. A genetic change may be part of the person’s unique genetic makeup but may not affect their family members. Research into genetics and epilepsy is finding more and more genetic causes for epilepsy.

An ambulance should be called if;

• it is the first known seizure; • the seizure lasts longer than normal; • the seizure lasts over 5 minutes (where normal duration is not known) for major seizures; • more seizures follow without recovery; • there are concerns about breahting • the person is injured, pregnant, has another medical ondition or you are in any doubt.

Key Facts

• 1 in 115 people in Ireland have epilepsy • That’s nearly 37,000 men, women, and children over age 5 • More than 10,000 are

Key Points:

Check your pharmacy team are aware and understand the following key points:  One in every 115 people in

Ireland suffer from epilepsy  Who is at risk of developing epilepsy  The impact of epilepsy on work, school and leisure  How to avoid/minimise seizure triggers  The danger of epileptic seizures

 The diagnosis of epilepsy  Lifestyle tips and advice

children, 10,000 are women of childbearing age • Rates of epilepsy are rising among the over 65’s • Anyone can develop epilepsy at any age • More than 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy • Diagnosis is based on EEG, CT,

MRI, other tests, history and clinical opinion • Diagnosis is usually based on 2 or more unprovoked seizures • But a person can be diagnosed on a first seizure in some cases • Many people have normal tests and scans but can be diagnosed with epilepsy • In around 50% of cases the cause is not known

• Most people have no family history • 70% of people have their seizures controlled by medication • But 30% continue to have seizures that are more difficult to control

• Epilepsy medication is free to all on the Long Term

Illness Scheme

Learning

Epilepsy Ireland – www.epilepsy.ie

Actions:

 Include POS with associated condition treatments

 Ensure efficient sign posting to further help and advice or reputable sources for epilepsy  Keep products merchandised together, along with related products to help build sales  Ensure that this important category is fully stocked at all times

 Ensure that I know the recommendations for

OTC medications which may impact on epilepsy sufferers

 Train the team to meet all the above considerations

Champions of Elimination, our HCV Hepheros

On World Hepatitis Day 28th July 2021, The Hepatitis C Partnership (HCP), a national Hepatitis C charity in Ireland, is highlighting the experiences of patients and healthcare workers working on the roadmap to Hep C elimination in Ireland.

To date, over 5,000 patients in Ireland have been treated with highly effective DAA's for Hepatitis C (HSE National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme). 95% of those who undergo treatment are successfully cured. Addiction treatment services, OST clinics, Sexual Health Clinics, and Hepatology units across Ireland have been championing efforts to find those living with an undiagnosed infection and support them to access treatment.

Peer support workers have been pivotal in linking our most vulnerable and at-risk populations to care. People like Susan from Gender, Orientation, Sexual Health, HIV (GOSHH), an integrated person-centered BBV service in Limerick. Susan, having experienced Hepatitis C herself, could relate to the psychological impact as well as the health stigma often associated with this infection.

“People feel more secure being tested in a supportive, friendly environment with guaranteed confidentiality” Susan commented. Recent evidence from the HepCare EU project in 2019 highlighted the efficacy of highly trained peers to identify individuals exposed to HCV, achieve high rates of engagement with treatment services, and maintain high rates of treatment success amongst a population with complex needs (From peer-based to peer-led, 2019). Peers and patients have an important role to play across the HCV care continuum and it's more important than ever that we recognise and utilise their experiences as we approach World Hepatitis Day 2021. Annually, on the 28th of July patients, their families, medical practitioners, patient organisations, and researchers unite under a unified theme to raise awareness about the global burden of viral hepatitis. It is a day to celebrate the progress we have made and to continue to meet the current and future challenges. It is also

Written by Kristy Hayes, Advocacy and Development Officer, The Hepatitis C Partnership

an opportunity for us to increase awareness and live up to our responsibilities to ensure Hepatitis C becomes a rare disease in Ireland.

To mark World Hepatitis Day 2021, we are highlighting patients' stories as well as the fantastic work of civil society organisations and medical professionals across the HCV care cascade in Ireland. This year's theme for the HCP, “HepHeroes” celebrates the work of individuals, patients, organisations, and institutions against and despite some of the most challenging times for our health services.

We are also promoting an innovative new project called RoadMap which aims to map out the current operational Cascade of Care for Hepatitis C and to identify and progress recommendations for a post-COVID-19 care pathway in Ireland. We will be calling on all stakeholders in the coming weeks to seek their input in relation to the following: imagining a greater integrated response, simplifying community-based delivery, and strengthening joint responses to HCV. We want to strengthen the efforts of our National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme in this challenging post-COVID-19 landscape. We want to look at opportunities generated and explore innovative disease management approaches such as telemedicine and digital health. More decentralized, people-centered, and sustainable approaches to care are the only way to mitigate the disproportionate impact of this infection and its associated complications such as Cirrhosis and Liver Cancer for those who are economically disadvantaged. Every year 1.5 to 2.5% of those infected with Hepatitis C will go on to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HPSC Hepatitis C in Ireland, 2019). Incidence rates of liver cancer in Ireland have increased by 300% in the 21-year period from 1994 to 2014. (National Cancer Registry Ireland). In Europe 21% of Liver Cancer cases are a result of HCV infection (Epidemiology of Liver Cancer, Europe). While oral medications (DAAs) have transformed treatment curing 9 out of 10, significant barriers remain in accessing our vulnerable and hard to reach populations. Stigma, high levels of undiagnosed and untreated HCV infection in Irish prisoners and PWUD populations, geographical inequalities, and a lack of accurate epidemiological data on chronic infection rates outside of OST clinics pose an ongoing challenge. We must embrace opportunities to integrate and link services and responses to provide people-centered services across regions. With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis-related illness, “Hepatitis Can't Wait” for us to act (World Hepatitis Alliance, 2021). We must innovate to drive community engagement, community-based service delivery, and community-led monitoring of Hepatitis C in Ireland. COVID-19 has demonstrated the capacity of our health service to adapt in the face of extraordinary circumstances and innovate in great haste to ensure access to care. It is our belief that these successes can and should be applied to the future management of HCV in Ireland. For more information on World Hepatitis Day visit and the Roadmap project please visit: www.hepcpartnership.ie

The Hepatitis C Partnership is a member of the World Hepatitis Alliance the leading organisation fighting global efforts against viral hepatitis and a current sitting member of the National Hepatitis C Programme Advisory Group (PAG).

Henry Place

Earl Plac e Prince’s Street North Sackville Place

O’Connell St reet Sto re St reet Foley Street Amiens Str eet Marlborough Place ey Street Aston QuayBachelor’s Walk O’Connell St reet RIVER LIFFEY Eden Quay Lower Abbey Street City Quay Fleet Street

Cathal Brugha Street James J o yce St reet Mabb ot Lan e Cathedral Street Talbot Street Custom House Quay

Talbot Street

BurghQuay

D’ Olier StreetMAVIRET® is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C) and not recommended in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B).1 * Refers to GT 1–6, excluding decompensated cirrhotic patients and liver or kidney transplant recipients. MAVIRET® is not indicated in decompensated cirrhosis. The recommended duration of MAVIRET® is 12 weeks in liver or kidney transplant recipients, with or without cirrhosis.1 ‡ Tablets should be swallowed whole, taken at the same time with food and not chewed, crushed, or broken.1 ITT = intent-to-treat

GPs REGISTERED TO PRESCRIBE METHADONE CAN NOW BE TRAINED TO TREAT HEPATITIS C IN THE COMMUNITY1,2 8 WEEKS: THE SHORTEST

ROUTE TO CURE† Treatment-naÏve Hepatitis C patients without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis*

98%

SINGLE 8-WEEK DURATION for treatment-naïve patients1* HIGH CURE† RATES (98%) all genotypes, treatment-naïve (n=1218/1248, ITT)3 ONCE-DAILY DOSING (3 tablets) with food1‡ 0.2% discontinuation rate due to adverse reactions3 The most common adverse reactions (≥10% prevalence) were headache and fatigue3

† Cure = sustained virologic response (SVR12), defined as HCV RNA less than the lower limit of r quantification at 12 weeks after the end of treatment and was the primary endpoint in all the studies.1

Temple BarMaviret®▼ 100mg/40mg film-coated tablets PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. PRESENTATION: Each film-coated tablet contains 100 mg glecaprevir and 40 mg pibrentasvir. Please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) before prescribing. INDICATION: For treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in adults and in adolescents aged 12 to <18 years. DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: Oral. Treatment to be initiated and monitored by physician experienced in the management of patients with HCV infection. See SmPC for full posology. Dosage: Adults and adolescents aged 12 to <18 years: The recommended dose of Maviret is 300 mg/120 mg (three 100 mg/40 mg tablets), taken orally, once daily at the same time with food. Treatment Duration: Patients without prior HCV therapy (GT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6): No cirrhosis: 8 weeks. Cirrhosis: 8 weeks. Patients who failed prior therapy with peg-IFN + ribavirin +/- sofosbuvir, or sofosbuvir + ribavirin: GT 1, 2, 4-6: No cirrhosis: 8 weeks. Cirrhosis: 12 weeks. GT 3: No cirrhosis: 16 G raf t on S t r e e t College Greenweeks. Cirrhosis: 16 weeks. Special Populations: HIV-1 Co-infection: Follow the dosing recommendations as above. For dosing recommendations with HIV antiviral agents, refer to SmPC for additional information. Elderly: No dose adjustment required. Renal impairment: No dose adjustment required. Hepatic impairment: No dose adjustment recommended in patients with mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A). Maviret is not recommended in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B) and is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C). Liver or kidney transplant patients: 12 weeks in liver or kidney transplant recipients with or without cirrhosis, with 16 week treatment duration to be considered for GT 3-infected patients who are treatment experienced Suffolk Street with peg-IFN + ribavirin +/- sofosbuvir, or sofosbuvir + ribavirin. Paediatric Population: No dose adjustment required in adolescents aged 12 to <18 years. The safety and efficacy of Maviret in children aged less than 12 years have not yet been established. Diabetic Patients: Diabetics may experience improved glucose control, potentially resulting in symptomatic hypoglycaemia, after initiating HCV direct acting antiviral treatment. Glucose levels of diabetic patients initiating direct acting antiviral therapy should be closely monitored, particularly within the first 3 months, and their diabetic medication modified when necessary. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients. Patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C). Concomitant use with atazanavir containing products, atorvastatin, simvastatin, dabigatran etexilate, ethinyl oestradiol-containing products, strong P-gp and CYP3A inducers (e.g., rifampicin, carbamazepine, St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), phenobarbital, phenytoin, and primidone). SPECIAL WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS: Hepatitis B Virus reactivation: HBV screening should be performed in all patients before initiation of treatment. HBV/HCV co-infected patients are at risk of HBV reactivation, and should, therefore, be monitored and managed according to current clinical guidelines. Hepatic impairment: Maviret is not recommended in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B) and is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C). Patients who failed a prior regimen containing an NS5A- and/or an NS3/4A-inhibitor: GT 1-infected (and a very limited number of GT 4-infected) patients with prior failure on regimens that may confer resistance to glecaprevir/pibrentasvir were studied in the MAGELLAN-1 study. The risk of failure was, as expected, highest for those exposed to both classes. A resistance algorithm predictive of the risk for failure by baseline resistance has not been established. Accumulating double class resistance was a general finding for patients who failed re-treatment with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in MAGELLAN-1. No re-treatment data is available for patients infected with GT 2, 3, 5 or 6. Maviret is not recommended for the re-treatment of patients with prior exposure to NS3/4A- and/or NS5A-inhibitors. Lactose: Maviret contains lactose. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicinal product. INTERACTIONS: See SmPC for full details. Contraindicated: Dabigatran etexilate, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone, rifampicin, ethinyloestradiolcontaining products, St. John’s wort, atazanavir, atorvastatin, simvastatin. Not Recommended: darunavir, efavirenz, lopinavir/ ritonavir, lovastatin, ciclosporin doses > 100 mg per day. Use Caution: digoxin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, fluvastatin, pitavastatin, tacrolimus. Monitor Levels: Digoxin, Monitor INR with all vitamin K antagonists. No dose adjustment: Losartan, valsartan, sofosbuvir, raltegravir, elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide, levonorgestrel, norethidrone or norgestimate as contraceptive progestogen. FERTILITY, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: Maviret is not recommended Pearse Street in pregnancy. It is not known whether Maviret and its metabolites are excreted in breast milk. No human data on the effect of glecaprevir and/or pibrentasvir on fertility are available. SIDE EFFECTS: See SmPC for full details. Very common side effects (≥1/10): headache, fatigue. Common side effects (≥1/100 to <1/10): diarrhoea, nausea, asthenia. Frequency not known (cannot be estimated from the available data): pruritus. ▼ This medicinal product is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow

quick identification of new safety information. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via HPRA Pharmacovigilance; website: www.hpra.ie. Suspected adverse events should also be reported to AbbVie Limited on 01-4287900.

LEGAL CATEGORY: POM(S1A) MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER/ PRESENTATIONS: EU/1/17/1213/001 – blister packs containing 84 (4 x 21) filmcoated tablets. MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER: AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Knollstrasse, 67061 Ludwigshafen, Germany. Further information is available from AbbVie Limited, 14 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Ireland. DATE OF REVISION: January 2020. PI/1213/008.

Pharmacy Automation: Crucial Part of Health

The global pharmacy automation market exhibited strong growth during 2015-2020, according to the latest market research report: Global Pharmacy Automation Market Report 2021: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast.

Looking forward, the global pharmacy automation market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 7% during the forecast period (2021-2026).

Pharmacy automation refers to the use of mechanized systems for digitalizing medical and healthcare workflow processes. These systems aid in performing multiple functions to systematize routine tasks and reduce human intervention. Some of these tasks include inventory management, click & collect of medication and the last mile from the pharmacy to the customer. They also aid in eliminating errors during the preparation of prescriptions.

The increasing need to reduce errors in medical processes, along with the decentralization of pharmacies, represent as the key factors driving the growth of the market. Pharmacy automation is becoming a crucial component of the modern healthcare industry, as they are highly flexible and self-adaptive. Pharmacy robots have improved the way in which pharmacies operate, capable of storing, administering, filling prescription medications effectively and securely. A robotic medicine dispensing machine can dramatically increases prescription preparation efficiency in comparison to manual operations. This can significantly reduce the waiting time for patients leading to higher patient satisfaction. The need for automated drug dispensing systems has been further driven by their ability to allow community pharmacists to engage in more effective time management, allowing them to spend longer engaging with consumers. They also help address organisation within the pharmacy, something many have struggled with owing to issues such as similarities across medicines packaging and naming. Other factors, including the implementation of various government policies to make quality healthcare facilities accessible to all and the utilization of robots for maximizing medical storage and dispensing prescriptions, are projected to drive the market in the coming years. The emergence of automation within the community pharmacy setting has been gathering pace for some time. The idea of using robots in the dispensing of medicines is not a new one. Automated dispensing devices have been used widely in hospitals around the world since the mid-1990s as a way of reducing medication errors, improving patient safety and increasing efficiencies. Over the last decade these devices have expanded into community pharmacy settings as financial pressures have driven the search for efficiencies.

The traditional task of community pharmacists lies in providing their patients with the required medication; but yet the mechanics of this are renowned for being tedious and repetitive. This is, of course in addition to the realms of human error.

However in the world of automation, pharmacists are finding solutions. Robots rarely make errors, they don’t get bored or distracted. Furthermore, they give pharmacists and technicians the glorious gift of time, valuable time with their patients and customers for more profitable clinical services. Over the last few years, automation is becoming more widely embraced in Ireland.

Developing innovations for the patient and pharmacists is something that drives the team at BD Rowa, whose developers work tirelessly on innovative products to overcome the new challenges in healthcare and other sectors. Pharmacy robots from BD Rowa™ offer more space and flexibility right across the board. Pharmacists get more time for their customers, more space for their ideas, and more availability for their employees and themselves.

Next issue of Irish Pharmacy News will feature an exclusive talk with BD Rowa looking in more detail about this expanding market and their offerings within community pharmacy in Ireland.

Experience endless uptime with always-on backup and protection.

webroot.com/IPN

Employing Cyber Resilience

Almost two months ago, the Health Service Executive (HSE) of Ireland was hit by a ransomware attack that represented the most significant cybercrime attack on the Irish state to date and understood to be the responsibility of a criminal actors using Conti Ransomware.

Ambulance services, GP and pharmacy systems were not directly hit but the impact was, and continues to be felt community wide…so the question is what can I do about it, how does it affect a Community Pharmacy? Given the pandemic and the widespread shifts and disruptions over the past year, we have all been faced with re-evaluating our ability to face unprecedented threats or preventing ransomware attacks.

Some ask if it’s even possible to mount a cyber defence with the view that Government has deep pockets and expertise and it still couldn’t prevent a devastating and disruptive attack. Still others will say I’m too small to be targeted. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) regards the health sector as vulnerable to cyber incidents and crises, noting in their 2019 Threat Landscape report that “more than 66% of healthcare organisations experienced a ransomware attack in 2019.” The FBI identified at least 16 Conti ransomware attacks targeting U.S. healthcare and first responder networks in the year prior to the attack on the HSE. Despite the growth in attacks, the National Cyber Security Centre, which advises Government on cyber threats, has an annual budget of just ¤5 million and no dedicated headquarters nor Director.

Are there practical steps community healthcare providers can take? The good news is yes, you can reduce both risk and impact of an attack by increasing overall cyber awareness as a business, an effect we call ‘cyber resilience’

Think of cyber resilience as digital fitness. It’s the ability to keep moving forward in the face of adverse cyber threats. Understanding the threat, taking precautions, and layering security will lower the risk to you, and should the worst happen, reduce the disruption, and allow for quicker recovery. Here are some cyber resilience tips that busy pharmacy and dispensary teams can put in place and improve their digital fitness.

1. You won’t be an expert in

a day, it takes time to reach a healthy level of cyber awareness! There is a lot of

help there from vendor guides, government advice and of course bringing in expert help though an IT Security provider. 2. Deploy the community -

Install reputable cyber-security software that uses real-time threat intelligence gathered from devices all over the globe to protect users by blocking attacks.

3. School is in! - training staff about phishing and spam, and common techniques used by criminals is easy with a range of Security Awareness training products. Look for one that specializes in micro-learning (bite size chunks) to help busy pharmacies and staff get trained with minimum disruption.

4. Make it tougher for the bad

guys - don’t share accounts or passwords, not with each other or with other programmes/ software. Reinforce a strong password policy and make multi-factor authentication mandatory wherever possible.

5. Be cautious of the free tool

- Free email accounts like

Hotmail, Gmail or similar can be tempting, but a secure, managed email account from an IT provider with Anti-Spam and Phishing controls will make you less vulnerable to many common attacks. 6. Upgrade and Patch - Few treatments are one pill and done, and they need to be taken on time. You PC or device is the same – upgrade to the newest operating system and update/ patch software. Take advantage of the security protection that vendors have rolled into those upgrades to combat new threats.

7. Back Up - Shake out and test your data backup plans. Ask yourself: is everyone/every device covered, is the data being successfully backed-up, have you tested recovering your data, are the back-ups secured off site or in the cloud?

Prescriptions are templates with unique additions to tailor treatment to the patient, your digital fitness is similar. By ensuring staff understand they play a critical role in ensuring security, adopting a cyber resilient mind set and taking precautions you can keep safe from a range of common threats and be more cyber resilient!

Written by Nick Emanuel, Senior Director of Product at Webroot, an OpenText Company

8 Simple Steps for Securing your Community Pharmacy

The HSE ransomware attack is no longer dominating the news but the HSE is still feeling its aftereffects. Despite being given a decrypt key for its data, it will cost the HSE at least €100m and months of work to restore its systems. Of course, the HSE has support from the exchequer and access to expert help. Small businesses including community pharmacies do not have these luxuries, so prevention is especially important.

Step 1: Operating System fully licenced and up to date

All your PCs should be running Windows 10. Windows 7 is out of support. This means that if a bug is discovered in Windows 7 and Windows 10, then only Windows 10 will be patched. As the bug and patch have been made public, this makes your Windows 7 system even more vulnerable because an exploit is much easier to develop. Note that is it possible sometimes to upgrade to Windows 10 using your existing Windows 7 license key.

Step 2: Software fully licenced and up to date

All your pharmacy, accounting and office software should also be fully up to date and fully licensed. This ensures that you receive all the necessary patches and bug fixes when available. Pharmacy PCs should NOT be used for any purpose other than business and staff should not have admin privileges to install new software or change settings.

Step 3: Antivirus installed

At minimum you should have Windows Defender switched on and up to date. This provides adequate protection, but you may prefer your own antivirus product. There are many to choose from and some are free, so do some online research and pick one that suits your business. Don’t have two antivirus products installed and running at the same time.

Step 4: Mind your accounts and passwords

Every user should have their own account and passwords for login to any application should be secure. In general, passwords should be at minimum 12 characters long and contain small letters, capitals, numbers, and symbols. These can be very hard to remember, though. Try coming up with longer passwords made up of 4 words strung together, which make a scene that you can recall easily. Never pick a password that contains personal or work-related information.

As mentioned in Step 1, most users do not need and should not have admin privileges. This limits the damage an inexperienced staff member can do to your systems, and it can also limit the damage

Simon Woodworth BSc MSc PhD Director, MSc in Cyber Risk for Business, Cork University Business School a virus or malware can do if accidentally downloaded.

Step 5: Secure your router and network

No customer should have access to your network. Make sure you change the default username and password on your broadband router. If you offer customer WiFi, it must be kept separate from your business WiFi and LAN. Your router may support such a setup. If not, adding a second cheap router and connecting it to your network via its WAN port will provide a simple way of keeping customers away from your business data.

Step 6: Make backups

Your pharmacy most likely uses online applications that back up your data elsewhere. Check that this is the case. For your local files and applications, consider backup up to a USB drive that can be removed from the premises. Alternatively, subscribe to a cloud backup service like Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. Remember that all backups should be tested regularly, otherwise they may let you down.

Step 7: Don’t click that link!

This step and the next are all about staff awareness. First, never click on a link on an unsolicited email or an unfamiliar website. This is how ransomware attackers gain access to your systems. It’s much easier to fool a member of staff into doing something silly than hack into your computers. For similar reasons, avoid plugging in USB drives unless you are absolutely certain it is from a known trusted source.

Step 8: Beware of scams and frauds

Small business can be particularly vulnerable to invoice fraud. This is where a fraudster submits a fake invoice for a known supplier, with different bank details. Always check the bank details are those originally provided by the supplier from a legitimate email or postal address. Beware of other phone or email attempts to extract banking or personal details. Never provide passwords or PIN numbers over the phone. In conclusion, there are a number of technical steps you can take to make your pharmacy secure and to greatly reduce the risk of damage from a cyberattack. However, technical security solutions are worthless unless staff are properly trained on the safe use of the computers in your business. They need to be very aware of potential scams and frauds. Securing your pharmacy properly will build trust with your customers and suppliers.