Pharmacy context
This is a traditional community pharmacy located on a small retail development in a residential area on the outskirts of Chester. NHS dispensing is the main activity and the pharmacy also provides a number of other NHS and private services and sells a range of over-the-counter medicines. The pharmacy changed ownership in March 2023.
Inspection summary findings
Principle 1. Governance
The pharmacy has written instructions that are intended to help its team work safely and effectively. But members of the team have not read the instructions so they may not understand what is expected of them. The team records some things that go wrong so that it can learn from them. But it does not record all incidents so some learning opportunities may be missed. The pharmacy keeps most of the records that are needed by law. But some records are incomplete or inaccurate so the pharmacy cannot always show that it is operating effectively.
Principle 2. Staff
There are enough staff to manage the workload and they receive the basic training they need for the jobs they do. But the team lacks leadership and direction which means it does not always operate effectively.
Principle 3. Premises
The pharmacy is generally clean and tidy and provides a suitable environment for healthcare. But the recent increase in workload means there is a lack of clear workspace in the dispensary, which makes the dispensing operation less efficient. The rear storage area is not secure and not suitable for dispensing so it is of limited use.
Principle 4. Services, including medicines management
The pharmacy is easy to access but provides a limited range of services. The team’s working practices are generally safe. But members of the team do not always know when they are handing out higher-risk medicines. So they may not give people all of the information they may need to make sure they are using the medicines safely. The pharmacy stores its medicines appropriately and carries out some checks to make sure they are in good condition.
Principle 5. Equipment and facilities
Members of the pharmacy team have the equipment and facilities they need for the services they provide. Equipment is appropriately maintained so that it is safe to use, and it is used in a way that protects privacy.
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.