Inspection outcome: Standards met
Last inspection: 22/08/2024
Pharmacy context
This is a private pharmacy, in northwest London and it is closed to the public. The pharmacy does not have an NHS contract. And it does not sell over-the-counter medicines. It only dispenses private prescriptions for hormone replacement from prescribers who are associated with an online company (https://balancemyhormones.co.uk/) regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). And it delivers medicines direct to people’s homes. The pharmacy is newly registered with the GPhC.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy generally provides its services safely and effectively. It has suitable standard operating procedures in place which the team members follow to help identify and manage risks. It conducts regular risk assessments and audits to monitor how safe its services are and it protects people's private information appropriately. Records are mostly maintained in line with requirements. And team members understand how they can protect people’s private information and safeguard the welfare of vulnerable people.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy’s team members work well together to manage their workload effectively. The pharmacy provides ongoing training to help keep the team’s skills and knowledge up to date. They are comfortable about providing feedback and suggestions which the pharmacy has acted on to improve services.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy’s premises provide a secure and suitable environment for the provision of healthcare services. It has enough space to safely prepare and assemble prescriptions. And the pharmacy is kept appropriately clean.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy generally provides its services safely. It obtains its medicines from reputable suppliers. And it receives prescriptions from https://balancemyhormones.co.uk/. The pharmacy team checks the credentials of the prescribers and the BMH team confirm the identity of the people who access the pharmacy’s services. The pharmacy makes sure medicines are safely delivered to the right person at the right address. And it knows what to do when it receives an alert or recall about one of the medicines it supplies.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the appropriate equipment it needs to provide its services safely and protect people’s private information.
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 |