| Standard not met | Reason | Action being taken by the Pharmacy | By when | Notification By Pharmacy Improvements Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | The pharmacy cannot provide sufficient assurance that the prescribing service it works with is getting all the information it needs to make safe prescribing decisions. This is because the prescribing service does not independently verify the information supplied by people including their medical history and co-morbidities, as required by the GPhC 'Guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance, including on the internet'. This increases the risk that people can obtain medicines from the pharmacy that are not clinically appropriate for them to take by providing false or incomplete information. |
1. Menwell has introduced mandatory Summary Care Record (SCR) checks for defined higher-risk patient cohorts, including patients reporting Type 2 diabetes, asthma, methotrexate use, unclear medication histories, or unclear prescription evidence, where independent verification may affect clinical suitability for treatment. By 30.6.26 Clinical Lead and Superintendent Pharmacist 2. Menwell has implemented a revised clinical verification process for weight management prescribing to ensure prescribing decisions are not based solely on patient-supplied information. By 30.6.26 Superintendent Pharmacist and Director of Quality & Risk 3. Menwell has implemented a documented internal workflow for SCR access requests, including recording the reason for access and the outcome of the review within the patient record. By 30.6.26 Clinical Operations Team and Clinical Lead 4. Prescribers are required to document the outcome of any SCR review within the patient record before a prescribing decision is completed. By 30.6.26 Prescribing Clinicians and Clinical Lead 5. Where SCR access is unavailable, incomplete, or not applicable, clinicians must use an alternative verification route where clinically required and must not rely solely on self-reported information to support prescribing decisions. By 30.6.26 Clinical Lead and Prescribing Team 6. Where SCR access is unavailable, incomplete, or not applicable (including patients located in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland), an alternative clinical verification process to support safe and appropriate prescribing decisions. Alternative verification measures may include review of additional photographic evidence of current or historical prescribed medication, review of repeat prescription evidence or dispensing labels, further asynchronous clinical questioning, requesting supporting correspondence from the patient’s GP or specialist where appropriate, requesting confirmation of relevant diagnoses, co-morbidities or concurrent medicines from the patient’s GP practice where clinically necessary, and/or escalation for additional clinician or Clinical Lead review for complex or higher-risk cases. Prescribers are required to document the rationale for the verification approach used and must not rely solely on self-reported information where this would not support safe and appropriate prescribing. By 30/06/2026 Clinical Lead, Superintendent Pharmacist and Prescribing Team 7. Audit outcomes and any identified corrective or preventative actions will be reviewed through the prescribing and pharmacy’s governance processes, including Monthly Quality Review meetings. First review within 6 weeks of implementation and ongoing monthly thereafter. Superintendent Pharmacist, Clinical Lead and Director of Quality & Risk |
18/06/2026 | 08/07/2026 |
| 4.2 | The pharmacy doesn't currently carry out independent clinical checks of the majority of the prescriptions it dispenses. Its dispensing process, coupled with the high volume of prescriptions it dispenses, currently does not adequately support the pharmacy team members in making meaningful clinical interventions on most of the prescriptions it dispenses. It largely relies on its prescribing service to make the necessary checks. This increases the risk that people are supplied with medicines that are not clinically appropriate for them. |
1. Menwell has implemented an enhanced pharmacy clinical checking process to ensure dispensing pharmacists complete an independent clinical appropriateness assessment prior to supply where appropriate. Pharmacists have access to relevant prescribing records, consultation responses, supporting clinical evidence, and verification information obtained during the prescribing process to support independent decision making. Pharmacists undertake additional clinical review activity where clinically appropriate, including Summary Care Record (SCR) review for defined higher-risk cohorts. Pharmacists may request further supporting information, seek clarification from the prescribing team, escalate cases for senior clinical review, place supplies on hold pending further review, or decline supply where concerns regarding safety or appropriateness are identified. Additional pharmacist recruitment has been initiated to provide adequate cover and compensate for any remedial patient records that would benefit from an additional clinical review. Where SCR access is unavailable, incomplete, or not applicable (including patients located in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland), pharmacists may utilise alternative verification measures, including review of supporting prescribing evidence, repeat medication evidence, additional patient questioning, or further prescriber clarification as appropriate to the identified risk. All interventions, escalation decisions and clinical outcomes are documented within the patient medication record. By 30/06/2026 Superintendent Pharmacist, Clinical Lead and Director of Quality & Risk 2, Menwell has implemented a quarterly audit programme to monitor compliance with the enhanced pharmacy clinical checking process. Audits will review whether pharmacists have completed and documented independent clinical appropriateness assessments, use of SCR and alternative verification pathways where appropriate, escalation activity, interventions made, and whether supplies were appropriately paused or declined where clinical concerns were identified. Audit outcomes, trends and any corrective or preventative actions will be reviewed through the pharmacy’s governance processes, including Monthly Quality Review meetings. First review within 6 weeks of implementation and ongoing monthly thereafter. Superintendent Pharmacist, Clinical Lead and Director of Quality & Risk |
18/06/2026 | 08/07/2026 |
Pharmacy inspections
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