HSC Retail Services (VET) cheat sheet
HSC Retail Services (VET) · Keep the key ideas within reach.
Retail Services (SIRv7) - Certificate II in Community Pharmacy & Certificate III in Retail
SIRv7 is the current Retail Services Training Package; SIR20116 is the Certificate II in Community Pharmacy and SIR30216 is the Certificate III in Retail qualification code.
Community pharmacy assistants work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist; Schedule 2 (S2) and Schedule 3 (S3) medicines may only be supplied after pharmacist consultation, and S3 supply must be recorded in the pharmacy's S3 register.
S2 and S3 medicines must be stored behind the counter or in a secured area not accessible to the public; S3 records must be retained for at least two years (check state/territory law for longer periods).
The Poisons Standard (SUSMP) schedules medicines: S2 (Pharmacy Medicine), S3 (Pharmacist Only), S4 (Prescription Only), S8 (Controlled Drug); S4 and S8 require a valid prescription.
Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles govern handling of customer health information; do not disclose prescription or medicine details to third parties without consent.
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and state WHS laws impose a duty of care; hazard, incident and injury reports must be completed and escalated to the supervisor or PCBU.
Consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law (Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Schedule 2) apply to goods and services; remedies include repair, replacement or refund for major and minor failures.
GST applies at 10% to most retail goods; goods and services tax is included in the displayed price, and tax invoices must be issued for sales of $82.50 or more (including GST).
Point-of-sale (POS) reconciliation: opening float + cash sales − refunds − petty cash = expected cash; any variance must be investigated and documented before banking.
Manual handling: use team lifting for loads over 16 kg (or per workplace policy), bend knees, keep the load close, and avoid twisting; report musculoskeletal hazards to the supervisor.
Infection control in pharmacy: perform hand hygiene before and after customer contact, follow standard precautions, and use personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by workplace policy.
Stock rotation uses the first-in-first-out (FIFO) principle; expired or damaged stock must be removed from sale, quarantined and recorded according to store procedure.