Inspection outcome: Standards met
Last inspection: 11/06/2019
Pharmacy context
A community pharmacy set in a small row of shops in a residential area of Ashford. The pharmacy opens six days a week. And most of the people who use it live nearby. The pharmacy dispenses NHS prescriptions and it sells a range of over-the-counter medicines. It provides a comprehensive substance misuse treatment service. It also supplies medicines in multi-compartment medicine packs to people who live in their own homes.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy has written procedures to help make sure its team works safely. People who work in the pharmacy can explain what they do, what they’re responsible for and when they might seek help. They work to professional standards and identify and manage risks appropriately. The pharmacy adequately monitors the safety of its services. Its team members review the mistakes they make to try and stop them happening again. The pharmacy has appropriate insurance to protect people if things do go wrong. It generally keeps all the records it needs to by law. But it could do more to make sure they’re checked regularly. The pharmacy acts upon people’s feedback. And it keeps people’s private information safe. The pharmacy team understands its role in protecting vulnerable people.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy relies upon a few employed staff members and regular locum pharmacists to deliver its services safely. The pharmacy’s team members are suitably qualified or undergoing training for their roles. And they’re supported to keep their skills up to date. Members of the pharmacy team are comfortable about giving feedback to improve the pharmacy’s services. They use their judgement to make decisions about what is right for the people they care for. They know how to raise a concern if they have one. And their professional judgement and patient safety are not affected by targets.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy provides a safe, secure and professional environment for people to receive healthcare.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy’s working practices are safe and effective. And its services are accessible to most people. The pharmacy’s team members are helpful. But they could do more to make sure people have all the information they need to take their medicines safely. The pharmacy gets its medicines from reputable sources and generally stores them appropriately and securely. Members of the pharmacy team check stocks of medicines regularly to make sure they are in-date and fit for purpose. The pharmacy generally disposes of people’s waste medicines safely too.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the appropriate equipment and the facilities it needs to provide services safely.
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 |