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Pharmacy inspections

Inspection reports and learning from inspections

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Responsiveness to patient feedback

Pharmacy type

Community

Pharmacy context

The pharmacy is located by the entrance of a supermarket. It dispenses approximately 10,500 items a month. The pharmacy provides a range of services including dispensing NHS and private prescriptions, Medicine Use Reviews (MURs), New Medicine Services (NMS), supervised doses of methadone and buprenorphine, needle exchange, Flu vaccinations, supplies of erectile dysfunction products, Malaria tablets and Ventolin inhalers against Patient Group Directions (PGDs), health checks such as blood pressure monitoring and supplies of over the counter medication (OTC) via a minor ailments scheme. The pharmacy also holds stocks of palliative care medicines.

Relevant standards

  • 1.4 - Feedback and concerns about the pharmacy, services and staff can be raised by individuals and organizations, and these are taken into account and action taken where appropriate

Why this is notable practice

Patients using the pharmacy are provided with opportunities to raise concerns or provide feedback which is used to improve the quality of services offered.

How the pharmacy did this

An up to date, signed complaints procedure was in place. The pharmacy poster had information on how to make a complaint. Regular patient satisfaction surveys took place. The results from the latest survey were displayed in the consultation room and near the pharmacy counter for patients to see. Positive feedback included staff who took time to listen, a clean and tidy pharmacy and disposal of medicines. Areas for improvement included the comfort and convenience of the waiting area and waiting times for prescriptions. The team had addressed this by installing four chairs near the pharmacy counter. The person at the pharmacy counter receiving the prescriptions asked the dispensary team how long prescriptions were taking which was passed on to the patient who was invited to shop or wait. If they chose to shop they were provided with a docket recording the time the prescriptions would be ready. The handing in time was recorded on the prescription.

What difference this made to patients

Feedback from patients is actively sought and used to improve the experience of people using the pharmacy.

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