Willow PharmacyGPhC

Pharmacy context

This is an independent community pharmacy located alongside other local shops in a residential suburb of Slough. It has been under the current owners since end of 2017 and it is open extended hours over seven days. The pharmacy mainly supplies NHS prescriptions and sells a range of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and health and beauty products. The pharmacy supplies medicines to local care homes and some people receive their medicines in multi-compartment compliance packs to help make sure they take them at the correct time. It offers a home delivery service and a range of other NHS services including Medicines Use Reviews (MURs), the New Medicine Service (NMS), Urgent Medicine Supply Advanced Service (NUMSAS), emergency hormonal contraception, substance misuse and needle exchange. And it also provides flu and travel vaccinations.

Standards by principle

• Principle 1 – Governance

  Standards met

  The pharmacy keeps the records it needs to by law and it protects people’s private information. It manages its services reasonably well, but team members do not necessarily follow written procedures, so they might not always work effectively. The pharmacy takes the right action when an error is made, but it could do more to make sure the team learns from its mistakes.

• Principle 2 – Staff

  Standards met

  The pharmacy has undergone some recent staff changes and some team members are new and relatively inexperienced. The team members work under supervision and can access appropriate training. But the lack of structured staff management processes could mean the pharmacy might not always identify and support gaps in their skills and knowledge.

• Principle 3 – Premises

  Standards met

  The pharmacy provides a suitable environment for the delivery of healthcare services. But the pharmacy lacks storage space and some areas are cluttered and untidy which impacts on the efficiency of the working environment and detracts from the overall professional image.

• Principle 4 – Services

  Standards met

  The pharmacy offers a wide range of services which are easy to access. Services are suitably managed to help make sure that people receive appropriate care. The pharmacy obtains medicines from licensed suppliers and the team generally manages these appropriately to make sure they are suitable to supply.

• Principle 5 – Equipment

  Standards met

  The pharmacy has the equipment and facilities it needs for the services it provides. And the team uses these in a way that protects privacy.

Inspection history summary