Pharmacy context
This busy community pharmacy is located in a parade of shops in a residential area. Most people who use the pharmacy are from the local area. The pharmacy dispenses mainly NHS prescriptions and it supplies a large number of medicines in multi‐compartment compliance aid packs to help people take their medicines at the right time. The pharmacy sells a range of over‐the‐counter (OTC) medicines. The inspection was undertaken during the Covid 19 pandemic. Enforcement action has been taken against this pharmacy, which remains in force at the time of this inspection, and there are restrictions on the provision of some services. The enforcement action taken allows the pharmacy to continue providing other services, which are not affected by the restrictions imposed.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy generally manages risks to make sure its services are safe, and it acts to improve patient safety. It completes the records that it needs to by law and asks its customers for their views and feedback. Members of the pharmacy team are clear about their roles and responsibilities. The team has written procedures on keeping people’s private information safe. And team members understand how they can help to protect the welfare of vulnerable people.
Principle 2. Staff
Pharmacy team members work well together in a busy environment and they have the right training for the jobs they do. Team members are comfortable providing feedback to their manager and they receive informal feedback about their own performance.
Principle 3. Premises
The premises provide a professional environment for people to receive healthcare services. The pharmacy has a private consultation room that enables it to provide members of the public with the opportunity to receive services in private and have confidential conversations.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy offers a range of healthcare services which are generally well managed and easy for people to access. It could manage its compliance aid packs service more effectively, making sure people receive all the information they need to take their medicines safely. The pharmacy team members are helpful and give healthcare advice and support to people. The pharmacy gets its medicines from licensed suppliers and it carries out some checks to ensure medicines are in good condition and suitable to supply.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
Members of the pharmacy team have the equipment and facilities they need for the services they provide. They maintain the equipment so that it is safe to use.
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 do the summary findings for each principle mean?
The standards for registered pharmacies are made up of five principles. The pharmacy will also receive one of four possible findings for each of these principles. These are:
The pharmacy delivers an innovative service and benefits the whole community and performs well against the standards | |
The pharmacy delivers positive outcomes for patients and performs well against most of the standards | |
The pharmacy meets all the standards | |
The pharmacy has not met one or more standards |