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A pharmacist who stole products including deodorant, razor blades and prescription metronidazole tablets from his place of work, as well as returned Parkinson’s medicines, has been suspended for six months by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. 

Stephen Alan Rodgers (registration number 3536), who worked as a pharmacy manager at a branch of Gordons Chemists in Belfast, was seen on CCTV taking “various retail products” including razor blades on February 10, 2024 without payment and taking metronidazole tablets and chlorhexidine mouthwash two days later.

The cameras had been installed on the premises without Mr Rodgers’ knowledge after concerns were raised about his behaviour, according to a report of recent fitness to practise proceedings against him. 

The prescription medication, which was for a family member, was taken from the pharmacy without a valid prescription and with no PMR entry made.

When first challenged by the company’s head of human resources and an area manager on February 19, 2024 about the products taken on February 10, Mr Rodgers denied having taken them. 

When asked about taking mouthwash on February 12, he said another Gordons branch had requested it but that it was still in the boot of his car. While the mouthwash was not found in his car, the area manager discovered 14 boxes of Neupro transdermal patches that had been returned to the pharmacy after a patient had passed away.

Mr Rodgers initially denied having taken the Neupro patches but when told his actions were caught on CCTV in October 2023 he stated that he “did take the medication but did not know why”.

Having established that he had engaged in this dishonest behaviour over a period several months, the regulator also found there was insufficient evidence of “demonstrable insight” or remediation, although it acknowledged he had shown remorse. 

The FtP committee stated: “Whilst the Registrant’s behaviour involved the serious matter of dishonesty, the Committee accepted submissions that the level of dishonesty was at a lower level which included theft of low value retail items.”

It imposed a six-month suspension to allow time for Mr Rodgers to address concerns around his insight and remediation efforts so the FtP committee can be more confident about the level of risk that this misconduct will be repeated.