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The pharmacy is able to identify the impact that the increased workload caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the team. It is using its procedures for capturing and reviewing near miss errors so that it can share information and learn from them. And it is adapting its processes to help reduce the risk of making mistakes in future.

The pharmacy has robust safety processes. And its team members are committed to sharing learning to help continuously drive improvement. Pharmacy team members have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. And the pharmacy manages the risks associated with delegating its tasks well, through regular audit.

The pharmacy has robust learning and development strategies which encourage pharmacy team members to expand their knowledge and skills. Pharmacy team members demonstrate how they apply their professional judgement and learning by working in specialised roles focussed on improving outcomes for the people using the pharmacy's services.

There is an innovative approach taken to using the Accuracy Checking Technician’s skills, enhanced use of the pharmacy team and thorough and robust record keeping to free up pharmacists’ time to deliver additional services safely, while ensuring that the dispensing and supply of medicines remains safe, and compliance and medicines optimisation is addressed.

The pharmacy team doesn't have any procedures to follow to make sure they adequately respond to mistakes. And they don't record mistakes or review why they happened. So, they do not have the information to identify patterns and help reduce similar mistakes in the future.

Integrated governance procedures are in place which improve patient outcomes and patient safety. Collaborative procedures are in place with other healthcare providers and wider community groups. The pharmacy had a strong focus on medicines optimisation and proactively identified and managed potential risks to patients.

All services are risk assessed before commencing, and on an ongoing basis to ensure that risks are managed. There is awareness of potentially weaker areas in processes, so strategies including doublechecking and additional audits are in place to manage these. There is very thorough record-keeping and checking of high-risk activities. Improvements have been demonstrated by making comparisons after new services and technology are introduced with previous arrangements.

Dispensing accuracy is constantly monitored and reviewed and there is a robust system in place to deal with, discuss and improve practice following incidents. There is evidence that the pharmacy team seek to identify, manage and minimise risks with trends being analysed.

Practices and procedures are monitored on an ongoing basis and action is taken so that risks are managed and services improve.

High-risk activities are proactively identified and the risks effectively managed, including risks to patients receiving the substance misuse service. Systematic monitoring and review mechanisms are in place demonstrating a culture of continuous learning, including the annual objective review of SOPs and sharing of learning. There is clear role definition and the pharmacy manages risk when tasks are delegated to members of the team.

Continuous, proactive and systematic review of risks are used to identify trends, inform review of procedures and training and inform improvements in service delivery. Systematic monitoring and review mechanisms are in place, demonstrating a culture of continuous learning and leading to improvements in the safety and quality of services.