Easily accessible pharmacy services and effective signposting to other providers

Pharmacy type

Community

Pharmacy context

This community pharmacy is located on a retail park. The pharmacy is open 100 hours each week and dispenses approximately 6,500 NHS items per month (including supply of methadone and buprenorphine via supervised consumption and domiciliary dosage system (DDS) trays) and over 50 private prescriptions. The pharmacy offers Medicines Use Reviews (MURs), New Medicines Service (NMS), supply of medicines through a minor ailments scheme and flu vaccinations.

Relevant standards

• 4.1 - The pharmacy services provided are accessible to patients and the public

Why this is notable practice

Pharmacy services are readily accessible to patients and members of the public. The pharmacy team work well to promote services which has resulted in good uptake of the services provided. Beneficial outcomes from patients receiving services are recognised by the team.

How the pharmacy did this

Details of pharmacy opening times and services were well advertised. Access into the premises was through automatic doors from the onsite carpark. After 20:00 on weeknights the pharmacy completed essential services only with access through a hatch at the front of the store with an intercom link in place to the pharmacy. The pharmacy dispensed a fair volume of late night prescriptions due to its location close to an out of hour’s service. The pharmacy also acted as a collection point for the local outpatient pharmacies and a procedure was in place to manage this service.

A local private fertility clinic had an account with the pharmacy which meant that patients presenting private prescriptions did not have to pay at the point of collection.

A practice leaflet which provided details of the pharmacy was available in the public area of the pharmacy alongside a good range of other health information leaflets. Seating for patients wishing to wait for a prescription or service was provided. Signposting information was in place and the team signposted patients to another pharmacy or healthcare provider if they were unable to provide a service.

Service specifications, protocols and procedures were up to date and legally valid PGDs were in place for the flu vaccination service which had a good level of take up. The majority of positive outcomes from medicine use reviews had been around establishing with patients why they were taking their medicines and to improve compliance with medicine regimens. For example, a patient did not understand why Alendronic acid had been prescribed and the importance of ensuring the medicine was taken as per instructions.

What difference this made to patients

Patients and the public are well informed about the services provided by the pharmacy and targeted interventions help to ensure that their health needs are met appropriately.