What it is
The delivery note is the document that accompanies the goods and says what the supplier has sent. Receiving well means checking that what the paper says is what is in the box, that it is in good condition and that it has been put where it belongs. It is a boring task and the place where most ordering errors, breakages, short-expiry products and prices different from the agreed ones are caught.
It is also the origin of traceability: the batch and expiry of every medicine that comes in are the data that allow you, months later, to find a recalled product.
The check, from most to least urgent
In this order:
- COLD CHAIN: what goes in the fridge (insulins, vaccines, cold-chain items) is checked first, confirmed to arrive cold and stored at once.
- PRODUCT AND QUANTITY: ordered versus received, by national code and presentation. A similar presentation is not the same one.
- CONDITION: dented boxes, opened packs, broken seals.
- BATCH AND EXPIRY: above all on short-expiry items. If it arrives with less shelf life than agreed, note it and claim.
- PRICE AND TERMS: cost, discounts, bonus units and taxes against what was agreed.
- CONTROLLED DRUGS: narcotics and psychotropics are received with their own procedure and register.
At the counter
When to recommend it
- Receive with the order beside you and without rushing
- Open and check cold-chain items first
- Record batch and expiry as you shelve
- Keep delivery notes and invoices in order
When not to
- Sign without opening “because there is a queue”
- Shelve without looking at expiry
- Accept a quantity without counting it
- Leave the claim “for when there is time”
Warnings
- Important Cold-chain products whose cold chain was broken are not dispensed: set them aside and ask the supplier and manufacturer what to do.
- Important Keep purchase documentation for medicines (delivery notes and invoices): it lets you trace a recalled batch. The retention period is set by the current rules; check with your professional body or adviser.
- Caution Claims have a deadline, usually a short one: what is not reported in time the supplier may refuse.
What to do about a discrepancy
- Note the discrepancy on the note itself (or in the system) the same day: what is missing, extra or wrong.
- Tell the supplier through their incident channel, within their deadline.
- Set aside what is in doubt and keep it off the shelf until it is settled.
- Handle the credit or return and check it shows up on the next invoice.
Careful receiving versus signing off
| Aspect | Careful | Signing off |
|---|---|---|
| Catching errors | The same day | Weeks later, if at all |
| Claiming | With the product in front of you | No proof |
| Expiry | Seen on arrival | Seen when it expires |
| Traceability | Batch and date recorded | Have to be hunted down |
| Time | Five minutes | Hours of fixing it later |
The five minutes of receiving save the hours of fixing the mistake later.
Self-assessment
Three questions. When you check your answers you will see the explanation for each one.
-
The cold chain cannot wait: it is checked and stored at once.
-
You have to record it and tell the supplier within their deadline.
-
With the cold chain broken, quality cannot be assured.
Training content. It does not replace the summary of product characteristics or clinical judgement.