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 are changing the way that they work to try and make their processes more efficient due to the increase in workload during the COVID-19 pandemic. And to be able to prioritise the needs of vulnerable people.
How the pharmacy did this
The pharmacy was operating a card payment-only policy to reduce the risks associated with handling cash and to increase the speed of transactions. This also simplified the cashing up and banking procedures, which reduced the workload further.
The pharmacy manager was self-isolating at home and had redirected the pharmacy's telephone line to her own home and had answered and dealt with as many calls as she could from there.
The team used ‘ISO’ as a flag on the patient medication record (PMR) for any patient that was self-isolating or in a vulnerable group, who were not able to collect their prescription. These people automatically received a home delivery of their medicine.
What difference this made to patients
People who cannot leave the house receive a home delivery without needing to contact the pharmacy. The pharmacy team are available to dispense prescriptions and speak to patients as they are working efficiently and have prioritised their workload.
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: