Pharmacy context
This community pharmacy is located next to a surgery in a retail park. It dispenses NHS and private prescriptions. And supplies medicines in multi-compartment compliance packs to some people. The pharmacy offers some NHS services such as the flu vaccination and Pharmacy First service. And it provides a prescription delivery service for people who cannot get to the pharmacy. 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 does not keep complete records about the responsible pharmacist (RP) as required by law. And so it cannot always show reliably which pharmacist has been overseeing activities and services when the pharmacy is open. The pharmacy has a set of written procedures to help team members work safely. But it cannot show which team members have read and understood them. And they are not always being followed in practice. The pharmacy has appropriate insurance to cover its activities. And people can give feedback to the pharmacy. Team members protect people’s confidential information. And they generally understand their role in safeguarding vulnerable people.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy has enough, appropriately trained team members to manage its workload safely. Team members feel comfortable about giving feedback or raising any concerns they might have.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy premises is clean and secure. And there is enough space for team members to provide the pharmacy’s services safely. The pharmacy has a suitable consultation room so people can have a private conversation if needed.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy does not have the relevant signed patient group directions (PGDs) for the NHS Pharmacy First service. And it cannot show that the pharmacists providing the service have completed adequate training for the parts of the service they offer. So, it cannot show that pharmacists are always providing this service safely. Or that they have the necessary legal authority to make supplies of prescription only medicines. The pharmacy generally makes it services accessible to people. And it obtains its medicines from licensed wholesalers. Team members do not always highlight prescriptions for higher-risk medicines so they may miss opportunities to provide additional advice to people who receive these medicines. The pharmacy receives drug alerts and recalls but it does not keep a record about what it has done with these. This makes it harder for the pharmacy to demonstrate it has taken the necessary action to make sure medicines and medical devices its supplies are fit for purpose.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the equipment it needs to provide its services safely. And it uses the equipment in a way which protects people’s privacy.
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 does 'pharmacy has not met all standards' mean?
When a pharmacy has not met all standards, they are required to complete an improvement action plan, which you can find via a link at the top left of this page. We monitor progress to check the improvements are made and inspect again after six months to make sure the pharmacy is maintaining these improvements. A new report will then be published.