The responsible pharmacist (RP) regulations are regularly being broken in some pharmacies, with locums in particular being put in "impossible situations", C+D has learned. The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) told C+D it had come across many examples of locums arriving at pharmacies and being asked to sign on to confirm they had been the RP for over an hour already. While RPs are allowed to be absent, they must be contactable during any absences, so this practice has caused confusion for locums who did not know medicines were being prepared before they arrived. PDA director John Murphy said the behaviour undermined the RP regulations and one locum called the rules "an anathema". The legal situation regarding RP practices was complex, Charles Russell head of healthcare David Reissner said. But he said if a pharmacist was unaware they were required to sign in retrospectively, then their signing in on arrival to take responsibility for that early period could have been "ineffective". This would mean any sale or supply of medicines in that period would have been unlawful. One locum told C+D they felt the system was open to abuse: "The regulations were dreamt up by people who believe all [that is] human and professional can be written into an SOP, which simultaneously removes professionalism and transfers responsibility without control." Of the major employers, Lloydspharmacy said it had systems in place to monitor and report pharmacies without an RP on site to ensure the regulations were followed, and Boots said it had clear procedures to ensure compliance. Chair of the RPS English Pharmacy Board and locum pharmacist Lindsey Gilpin said the RPS was currently working on a "locum template" to provide additional clarity on roles.