Inspection outcome: Standards met
Last inspection: 17/09/2019
Pharmacy context
This is a community pharmacy located along a parade of shops on a main road in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. The pharmacy dispenses NHS and private prescriptions. It sells a range of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, provides advice and services such as Medicines Use Reviews (MURs), the New Medicine Service (NMS), seasonal flu vaccinations, smoking cessation and administers travel vaccinations. The pharmacy also provides multi-compartment compliance aids for people if they find it difficult to take their medicines on time.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
Overall, the pharmacy manages risks in a satisfactory way. It has a set of instructions to guide the team on the pharmacy’s processes. Members of the pharmacy team generally work in a safe manner. And, they identify and deal with their mistakes responsibly. The pharmacy’s records are generally maintained in accordance with the law. And, in the main, people’s private information is protected. But the pharmacy does not always record enough details for all its records. This means that the team may not have all the information needed if problems or queries arise. And, team members are sharing their NHS smart cards to access electronic prescriptions. This makes it more difficult for them to control access to people’s records and keep information safe.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy has enough staff to manage its workload safely. Pharmacy team members understand their roles and responsibilities. They are provided with resources to help keep their skills and knowledge up to date.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy's premises are clean, secure and in general provides an appropriate environment to deliver its services. And, it has a separate area where confidential conversations and services can take place.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy’s services are easily accessible. The pharmacy provides its services in a safe and effective manner. The regular pharmacist is proactive in seeking helpful outcomes for people. And, the team takes extra care for people prescribed higher-risk medicines. This helps ensure that people can take their medicines safely. The pharmacy obtains its medicines from reputable sources, it largely manages and stores them appropriately. The team are making some checks to ensure that medicines are not supplied beyond their expiry date. But, the pharmacy has no up-to-date written details to help verify this.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the appropriate equipment and facilities it needs to provide its services safely. Its equipment helps to protect the privacy of people.
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 |