Pharmacy context
The pharmacy is located on a parade of shops on a main road in a largely residential area. The people who use the pharmacy are mainly older people. The pharmacy receives around 90% of its prescriptions electronically. It provides a range of services, including Medicines Use Reviews, the New Medicine Service and influenza vaccinations. And it supplies medications in multi-compartment compliance packs to a large number of people who live in their own homes to help them manage their medicines.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy does not fully identify or manage all the risks associated with its services. The lack of staff awareness of, or ready access to written procedures increases the risk that activities are not being undertaken in a safe and effective manner. The pharmacy does not keep all its records up to date, as required by the law. And some records are not kept at the pharmacy which may mean they are not always kept securely. The pharmacy's team members understand their role in protecting vulnerable people.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy has enough team members to provide its services safely. And they can make suggestions to improve how the pharmacy runs. But they are not always provided with regular ongoing training. This could make it harder for them to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date.
Principle 3. Premises
The premises generally provide a safe, secure, and clean environment for the pharmacy's services. But the pharmacy does not always keep its fire exits clear of obstruction or stairs free from trip hazards. And it could do more to protect some sensitive information and medicines.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
People with a range of needs can access the pharmacy’s services. The pharmacy gets its medicines from reputable suppliers. But it cannot show that medicines which require refrigeration are always stored correctly. And it cannot show that it responds appropriately to drug alerts and product recalls to make sure the medicines it supplies are fit for purpose. It doesn't always highlight prescriptions for higher-risk medicines. And this may mean that it misses opportunities to speak with people when they collect these medicines.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the equipment it needs to provide its 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 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.