Ensuring that team members have quick and easy access to anaphylaxis kits in an emergency.

Pharmacy type

Community

Pharmacy context

​COVID-19

Relevant standards

• 1.1 - The risks associated with providing pharmacy services are identified and managed

Why this is notable practice

Anaphylaxis kits are co-located in the vaccination room and in the post-vaccination area (which is the main part of the pharmacy) which ensures that those trained to administer adrenaline injections can access them quickly while minimising the impact on the COVID-19 vaccination service.

How the pharmacy did this

During a risk assessment of the COVID-19 vaccination service the pharmacy identified that although they had enough anaphylaxis kits, they were not easily accessible if needed post-vaccination, as they were all stored in the consultation room. This meant that the vaccination process would have to be interrupted if a suspected anaphylactic emergency occurred elsewhere in the pharmacy, including the post-vaccination observation area. So, the team retained one kit in the consultation room for any anaphylaxis emergencies related to COVID-19 vaccinations and co-located other kits elsewhere in the pharmacy. This included a location close to the observation area.

By making the kits more accessible at locations where they would be most needed, the pharmacy ensured that an adrenaline injection could be accessed quickly and easily. The team felt this was important as the team member responsible for administering the injection was likely to be under pressure to administer the adrenaline quickly as well as safely. And ready access would not cause additional interruptions to the vaccination service in the consultation room. By having additional anaphylaxis kits on the premises it would allow the vaccination service to continue if one kit had to be used up in an emergency.

What difference this made to patients

People experiencing an emergency anaphylactic reaction can receive life-saving treatment promptly before emergency help arrives. And people accessing the vaccination service could receive their vaccinations uninterrupted if an emergency was taking place elsewhere in the pharmacy.