Inspection outcome: Standards met
Last inspection: 25/11/2021
Pharmacy context
The pharmacy has re-located to new premises due to re-development of the local area on the outskirts of Watford. It dispenses NHS and private prescriptions, sells over‐the‐counter medicines and provides health advice. The pharmacy supplies medicines in multi-compartment compliance packs to people who find it difficult to manage their medicines. Services include prescription delivery, discharge medicines service (DMS) and new medicines service (NMS). The inspection took place during the COVID‐19 pandemic. All aspects of the pharmacy were not inspected.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy's working practices are generally safe and effective. It has satisfactory written procedures to help make sure the team works safely. But some need reviewing so they are all up to date. The pharmacy's team members generally keep the records they need to by law to show the pharmacy is providing safe services. The pharmacy's team members understand their role in safeguarding vulnerable people. And they know how to protect people's private information. The pharmacy has introduced new ways of working to help reduce the risk of COVID‐19 infections.
Principle 2. Staff
The pharmacy has enough suitably trained team members to manage the workload and provide its services safely. They work well together and keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Team members can make suggestions to improve services.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy's new premises are suitable for the provision of healthcare services. The pharmacy's team members have taken steps to help protect people from COVID‐19 infection. The pharmacy prevents people accessing its premises when it is closed to keep its medicines and people's information safe.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy displays information about its services so people know what is available. And its working practices are mostly safe and effective. So it generally obtains, stores and supplies its stock satisfactorily. The pharmacy team members make sure people have all the information they need to use their medicines safely. But they could store patient returned medicines more tidily before disposal.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
The pharmacy has the equipment and facilities it needs to provide its services safely. The pharmacy uses its equipment in a way that keeps people's private information safe. |
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 |