Inspection outcome: Standards met
Last inspection: 23/09/2020
Pharmacy context
This is a community pharmacy in the northern outskirts of the town of Cheltenham. A wide variety of people use the pharmacy, but most people are elderly. The pharmacy team members dispense prescriptions, sell over-the-counter medicines and give advice. They supply several medicines in multi-compartment compliance packs to help vulnerable people in their own homes to take their medicines. The pharmacy also supplies medicines in compliance packs for the residents of several care homes. The pharmacy offers several services including Medicines Use Reviews (MURs), the New Medicine Service (NMS), the Community Pharmacy Consultation Service (CPCS) and seasonal flu vaccinations. The inspection was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy’s working practices are safe and effective. It has made changes to its written procedures as a result of COVID-19. And, physical measures are in place to reduce the risk of transmission of coronavirus. The pharmacy is appropriately insured to protect people if things go wrong. It mainly keeps the required records. The pharmacy team members keep people’s private information safe and they know how to protect vulnerable people. But they could be better at learning from mistakes to prevent them from happening again.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy has enough staff to manage their workload safely. The team members are flexible and cover holidays and sickness. The pharmacy team work well together and they are comfortable about raising concerns to their manager. She acts on these. The pharmacy team members are told about any updates and advice regarding COVID-19. But they could be doing more non-COVID learning to make sure that their general pharmacy skills and knowledge are up to date.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy looks professional and is suitable for the services it offers. It is clean, tidy and organised. The premises are thoroughly cleaned to reduce the likelihood of transmission of coronavirus. The pharmacy signposts its consultation room well so it is clear to people that there is somewhere private for them to talk.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy offers a good range of services and everyone can access the services it offers. It has good procedures to safely deliver the 2020 flu vaccine. The pharmacy generally manages its other services effectively to make sure that they are delivered safely. The pharmacy gets its medicines from appropriate sources and stores them safely. It makes sure that people only get medicines or devices that are safe. But the team members could be better at telling the pharmacist about anyone who may need to be counselled by her, so that they fully understand their medicines.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the appropriate equipment and facilities for the services it provides. And, the team members make sure that they are clean and fit-for-purpose. The pharmacy has taken action to reduce the spread of coronavirus with the use of protective screens and equipment.
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 |