Openshaw Internet Pharmacy (9012419) - Improvement action plan

The pharmacy does not have defined procedures for reviewing weight management service concerns and incidents. In addition, there is no system in place to audit this service. This limits opportunities to learn and improve and impartiality due to its governance arrangements.

Patients will be asked to report any concerns or incidents on the email they receive at every stage of the service. They will be prompted to report any concerns they may have, and this is repeated every time they access the service i.e. upon initiation of treatment and every strength change via email. There will also be a ‘report a concern/incident’ button on the pharmacy's weight management webpage, which will allow for greater access for service users to report a concern when needed.
The pharmacy will put an incident reporting system in place. As mentioned above, we will capture any information regarding any incidents using the system above and use the incident report forms to collect all data relating to an incident. Our Standard Operating Procedure will clearly outline what procedure to follow depending on what type of incident has been recorded and the time frame it must be completed within.
The pharmacy will have an audit folder for the weight management service that will involve a periodic review of the service looking into various elements of the service. Where possible we will get an external auditor to audit certain areas of the service. One example would be to audit how we are verifying the weight and height of patients.

The pharmacy’s processes do not include appropriate verification of the patient's Body Mass Index or their medical history for its weight management service, including any treatment from another provider, and it does not share information with the patient’s GP. So, the pharmacy may not easily be able to demonstrate that treatment is appropriate for the person before supplying it.

To obtain a verified BMI the pharmacy will incorporate a feature into its electronic record systems that allows files to be uploaded as evidence to show the patients weight and height. We will ask patients to submit a video of them in front of a mirror standing on the weighing scales and a photo of the measurement of their height. These measurements will then be verified during the initial video consultation with the patient. To verify weight we will use a real-time weighing scale verification, where the patient will be asked to use a scale on a flat hard surface (ideally a digital scale), weigh themselves live on camera, show the scale reading clearly, and that the scale resets to zero before its use.
To verify the patient's height the pharmacy will ask patients on the live video call to remove their shoes and stand against a wall, place an object on their head to allow them to mark their height, and then measure from the floor using a tape measure. Ideally this should be done with the whole person in the video frame, which will allow for the marking to represent the height and reduce the chances of a false marking.
To verify treatment provided from other healthcare providers, the pharmacy will obtain consent from the patient during the initial consultation to contact other healthcare providers. In the case of their GP, we can check their NHS Summary Care Record (SCR) or contact their GP. In the case of other private healthcare providers we will contact them directly to confirm details of treatment and request relevant documentation as proof of treatment so we can then proceed to make an appropriate supply.
To verify a patient’s medical history the pharmacy will have obtained their consent at the start of the service to share their information with their GP and consent to access their SCR.
The pharmacy will verify all medical history by accessing and checking against the patient's SCR and where needed by contacting their GP.
The pharmacy will share treatment information with the patient’s GP post treatment. This information will be submitted by the pharmacy to the patient's GP after the supply is made.

The pharmacy’s processes do not include appropriate verification of the patient's Body Mass Index or their medical history for its weight management service, including any treatment from another provider, and it does not share information with the patient’s GP. So, the pharmacy may not easily be able to demonstrate that treatment is appropriate for the person before supplying it.

To obtain a verified BMI the pharmacy will incorporate a feature into its electronic record systems that allows files to be uploaded as evidence to show the patients weight and height. We will ask patients to submit a video of them in front of a mirror standing on the weighing scales and a photo of the measurement of their height. These measurements will then be verified during the initial video consultation with the patient. To verify weight we will use a real-time weighing scale verification, where the patient will be asked to use a scale on a flat hard surface (ideally a digital scale), weigh themselves live on camera, show the scale reading clearly, and that the scale resets to zero before its use.
To verify the patient's height the pharmacy will ask patients on the live video call to remove their shoes and stand against a wall, place an object on their head to allow them to mark their height, and then measure from the floor using a tape measure. Ideally this should be done with the whole person in the video frame, which will allow for the marking to represent the height and reduce the chances of a false marking.
To verify treatment provided from other healthcare providers, the pharmacy will obtain consent from the patient during the initial consultation to contact other healthcare providers. In the case of their GP, we can check their NHS Summary Care Record (SCR) or contact their GP. In the case of other private healthcare providers we will contact them directly to confirm details of treatment and request relevant documentation as proof of treatment so we can then proceed to make an appropriate supply.
To verify a patient’s medical history the pharmacy will have obtained their consent at the start of the service to share their information with their GP and consent to access their SCR.
The pharmacy will verify all medical history by accessing and checking against the patient's SCR and where needed by contacting their GP.
The pharmacy will share treatment information with the patient’s GP post treatment. This information will be submitted by the pharmacy to the patient's GP after the supply is made.