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Pharmacy inspections

Inspection reports and learning from inspections

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Providing advice to care homes about the pandemic

Pharmacy type

Internet / Distance Selling

Pharmacy context

COVID-19

Relevant standards

  • 4.2 - Pharmacy services are managed and delivered safely and effectively

Why this is notable practice

The pharmacy is working closely with care home staff. They are regularly sharing information from Public Health England (PHE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as other information sources. The team put the information into a format which is more accessible to care home staff.

How the pharmacy did this

At the start of lockdown, care home staff were confused with government guidance and asked the pharmacy for advice. The pharmacy researched guidance for care homes supplied by PHE, WHO, the UK government and other professional bodies. The information found included the extra procedures that the home should put in place to reduce cross-infection, the levels of PPE required for different tasks and the NICE 2014 and 2020 guidance on Vitamin D supplements.

Once the information was obtained it was shared with the home in a way which was easy for the staff to understand. This mainly involved speaking to the staff and their managers and explaining in simple terms the guidance. The pharmacist also showed the home managers where information posters were available on-line for them to print off and display.

What difference this made to patients

Cross-infections are minimised as care home staff are up to date with current guidance. Guidance has been explained in a simple way, so the staff are more likely to follow it. The care home has not had any cases of COVID-19 infection.

Highlighted standards

We have identified the standards most likely and least likely to be met in inspections, and highlighted examples of notable practice for each of these standards; to help everyone learn from others and to support continuous improvement:

  1. 1.1 Risk management
  2. 1.2 Reviewing and monitoring the safety of services
  3. 4.2 Safe and effective service delivery
  4. 4.3 Sourcing and safe, secure management of medicines and devices
  5. 2.2 Staff skills and qualifications