Inspection outcome: Standards met
Last inspection: 23/08/2021
Pharmacy context
This is a private pharmacy which is closed to the public and located inside a warehouse on an industrial estate in Reading, Berkshire. The pharmacy began trading during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to prepare and assemble multi-compartment compliance packs for some of the company’s own pharmacies. It does not have an NHS contract and no sales of over-the-counter medicines take place. The pharmacy does not currently provide any other services. This inspection took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy has adequate processes in place to identify and manage risks. It protects people's private information appropriately. And, it generally maintains the records it should. Members of the pharmacy team deal with their mistakes responsibly. But they are not always recording all the necessary details. This could mean that they may be missing opportunities to spot patterns and prevent similar mistakes happening in future. The pharmacy has some operating instructions in place to guide its team members. But it does not have all of them. This includes safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable people. So, they may not know how to respond to concerns appropriately.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy has enough staff to manage its workload. Its team members work well together. But, the pharmacy does not provide many resources to help keep the team’s skills and knowledge up to date. This could affect how well they carry out tasks and adapt to change with new situations.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy's premises are secure and suitable for the activities being provided. The pharmacy has enough space to deliver its services safely. And its team members keep the premises clean.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy obtains its medicines from reputable sources. It generally manages its medicines appropriately. And it has auditable processes in place to verify the different stages of the pharmacy’s workflow. But the pharmacy doesn't hold any information about people who receive higher-risk medicines. This makes it difficult for it to show that it provides people with appropriate advice when supplying these medicines. And it doesn’t have the full records to show that it has been taking the appropriate action in response to safety alerts. This risks people receiving medicines and devices that are not safe to use.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the necessary equipment and facilities it needs to provide its services safely. And they are used appropriately to protect people’s private information.
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 |