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Pharmacy inspections

Inspection reports and learning from inspections

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Effective use of a dispensing hub to overcome a lack of space to dispense multi-compartment compliance packs.

Pharmacy type

Community

Pharmacy context

This is a busy community pharmacy located in a parade of local shops and services on the outskirts of a town centre. People using the pharmacy are from the local community. The pharmacy dispenses NHS prescriptions and provides some other NHS funded services.

Relevant standards

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

Why this is notable practice

Multi-compartment compliance packs are dispensed off-site as the pharmacy has limited space within the dispensary.

How the pharmacy did this

The size of the premises was limiting the ability of the pharmacy team to provide an efficient multi-compartment compliance pack service and there was no scope to refit or extend the pharmacy. To resolve this issue, some of the workload was transferred one of the company’s larger branches which had a dispensing robot specifically for dispensing multi-compartment compliance packs. The company's SOPs were updated to reflect this, and pharmacy team members received training on the new procedures. A production schedule was created so team members understood their responsibilities in the process and how to send prescriptions to the hub to make sure they were back in time for onward supply to the patient.

What difference this made to patients

Dispensing workbenches are kept clear for day-to-day dispensing and the pharmacy team benefit from additional time for provision of other pharmacy services including offering people advice and counselling.

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