No further action is to be taken against a Stobswell pharmacy which saw a sneak-in thief make off with a jug containing 2.5 litres of methadone.
Douglas Laidlaw was recently jailed for eight months for the theft of the class A heroin substitute from the Wallacetown Health Centre Pharmacy on Tuesday April 8.
The court heard a pharmacist at the health centre had seen that the methadone dispensing bottle was empty and needed replaced so had gone to get the bottle, which he left on the counter to attend to a customer.
Laidlaw got in through a back door and took the controlled drug while it was out on the back counter.
Security has been increased following the incident and an automatic door lock with a key code system has also been installed.
A pharmacist told the Courier: “Security has been improved and it won’t be possible for anyone to break in again.
“From my own point of view for the security of my staff, we have been working with the health board to make improvements to our security.”
As pharmacies deal with medication they are required to meet certain standards including safeguarding premises and securely storing medicines and medical devices.
The General Pharmaceutical Council’s pharmacy regulator carries out routine inspections as well as additional inspections where concerns have been raised, like at Wallacetown.
A spokesman for the Pharmacy Regulator said: “Our inspections team have looked into the matter and, having sought assurances around a number of matters, we do not intend to take further formal regulatory action at this stage.”
The pharmacy reported the break-in immediately to the area’s officer who deals with controlled drugs.
A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “NHS Tayside’s inspection officer for controlled drugs has reviewed the security of the pharmacy in Wallacetown and all of his recommendations have been implemented, including an automatic door lock and a key code access entrance to the pharmacy.”