Inspection outcome: Standards met
Last inspection: 07/10/2024
Pharmacy context
This community pharmacy relocated to its current position, just across the small precinct from where it was sited previously, earlier in 2024. Its main activity remains dispensing NHS prescriptions, many of which it delivers to people’s own homes. But the move has greatly increased its consultation space and ability to provide other services including seasonal flu and Covid-19 vaccinations, and the NHS Pharmacy First service. It continues to supply medicines in multi‐compartment compliance packs to a large number of people who need this support to help them take their medicines at the right time. And it offers a substance misuse service.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy generally identifies and manages risks to protect the health and wellbeing of people using its services. It keeps people’s information private, and its team members know when to refer to the pharmacist for advice and their role in protecting more vulnerable people. The pharmacy largely makes the records it needs to and it tries to learn from its mistakes but some areas for improvement found during the last inspection remain. Team members have written procedures to tell them how to work safely. But these have not been reviewed since 2019 so may not always reflect current best practice.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy’s team members have the right skills and knowledge or are training towards these to provide the pharmacy’s services safely. They understand their roles and responsibilities and they have some opportunities to learn and develop. They also feel able to raise concerns about issues in the pharmacy if the need arises.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy’s new premises provide a much-improved environment to deliver services safely and effectively. Its dispensing space is better organised. And the pharmacy has greater availability of private spaces for consultations and providing advice to people.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
People can access a range of services from the pharmacy and these are generally delivered safely. Th pharmacy refers people to other healthcare services when additional support or treatment is needed. It gets its medicines from reliable sources and largely manages them well. It responds appropriately to safety alerts about medicines so people get medicines that are fit for purpose.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the equipment it needs to provide its services safely. It generally makes regular checks to make sure its equipment is fit for purpose.
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 |