Pharmacy context
This community pharmacy is located at the front of a convenience store in the centre of a village in Cambridgeshire. Its main activity is dispensing NHS prescriptions, many of which it delivers to people’s own homes. It supplies medicines in multi-compartment compliance packs to a substantial number of people who need help managing their medicines. And it sells a small range of medicines over the counter. The pharmacy is currently offering the seasonal flu vaccination service on an appointment-only basis.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy doesn’t adequately manage all the risks associated with its services. It doesn’t have a robust system to monitor and learn from mistakes that its team members make during the dispensing process. Some team members are not on the right training for their roles. And they do not fully understand the tasks that can only be undertaken when there is a pharmacist present. Furthermore, the lack of available space makes it difficult for its team to work in a safe way. However, the pharmacy team members can refer to recently reviewed written procedures which explain how to carry out various tasks. And they keep the records that are needed by law.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy’s team members are not all doing the required training for the tasks they undertake. And they aren’t clear about the restrictions on what can happen when there is no pharmacist present. This means the pharmacy cannot demonstrate adequately that its services are always provided safely. Buts its team members can discuss issues and get help from the responsible pharmacist if needed.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy’s premises are very small and there is insufficient clear dispensing and storage space to deliver all its current services safely. The appearance of its consultation room does not present a professional image to people.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy tries to support housebound people and those who need additional help in managing their medicines. But it cannot show that it prepares multi-compartment compliance packs safely. It does not always make sure that medicines are stored in suitable and appropriately labelled containers. And it cannot show that medicines requiring refrigeration are always stored at the right temperatures. However, the pharmacy gets its medicines from reputable sources.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the equipment it needs to provide its services safely. But it cannot demonstrate that both of its fridges are storing medicines at the right temperature.
What do the inspection outcomes mean?
After an inspection each pharmacy receives one overall outcome. This will be either Standards met or Standards not all met
| The pharmacy has met all the standards for registered pharmacies | |
| The pharmacy has not met one or more of the standards for registered pharmacies |
What does 'pharmacy has not met all standards' mean?
When a pharmacy has not met all standards, they are required to complete an improvement action plan, which you can find via a link at the top left of this page. We monitor progress to check the improvements are made and inspect again after six months to make sure the pharmacy is maintaining these improvements. A new report will then be published.