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
The pharmacy team is managing the number of people that are in the pharmacy at the same time. This helps to support social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How the pharmacy did this
The pharmacy operated a restricted access policy of one to two people in and one to two people out at any given time. This helped manage the large number of people trying to access the pharmacy. This policy allowed the pharmacy to stay open all day, rather than closing for a period as team members were not distracted by managing queues. It also helped to prevent instances of aggressive and violent behaviour from people waiting in the queue.
The pharmacy displayed posters on its windows to encourage social distancing outside of the pharmacy and had put tape on the pavement at two meter intervals so that people knew how far apart they should be standing.
What difference this made to patients
The queuing system for the pharmacy promotes social distancing and it is clear to people where they should wait. People can access the pharmacy during its operating hours and their prescriptions are ready as expected.
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: