Halliwell Midnight Pharmacy (1099351)

Inspection summary findings

Principle 1. Governance

Whilst the pharmacy has made some changes and improvements to its online prescribing service, it does not consistently manage all of the associated risks. This means people might be able to obtain medicines which are not always appropriate for their needs. The pharmacy works with a prescribing service based in Europe, so it is not registered or monitored by a UK healthcare regulator. And the pharmacy does not regularly audit or review the prescribing service to make sure it is safe and in line with UK guidelines. The pharmacy manages its NHS services reasonably safely. Pharmacy team members generally work to professional standards and they keep the records required by law. But the pharmacy has not updated its written procedures for several years, so the pharmacy team might not always work as effectively as it could do. And some team members have not completed formal training on confidentiality and data protection, and they might not fully understand their role in keeping people’s information safe.

Principle 2. Staff

The pharmacy has enough staff to manage its workload and the pharmacy team members are qualified for the jobs they do. The team members work well together, and they are comfortable providing feedback to their manager. But training is not provided in a structured or consistent manner. So, individual learning and development needs may not always be fully addressed. 

Principle 3. Premises

The premises generally provide a professional environment for people to receive healthcare. But the pharmacy uses a website that allows people to select the prescription only medicines they want before they have a consultation with a prescriber. This is not appropriate as it means people may not receive the most suitable treatment option for their needs. Information about the prescriber’s registration is misleading and people may not have enough information to make an informed decision about their care.

Principle 4. Services, including medicines management

The pharmacy does not always make enough checks to ensure medicines obtained through the prescribing service are appropriate for the people they supply. And it supplies some medicines which may not be appropriate for supply via a remote consultation because they require physical examination, blood tests or monitoring. The pharmacy often supplies medicines without informing the patient's regular doctor. This means their condition might not be properly monitored, and their use of medication may not be adequately controlled. The pharmacy offers a range of other healthcare services, which are suitably managed, so people receive appropriate care. It gets its medicines from licensed suppliers and the team carries out some checks to ensure medicines are in suitable condition 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.