Peak Pharmacy OnlineGPhC

Pharmacy context

This pharmacy is located in a closed unit, and it is not accessible to members of the public. It operates as a central assembly hub dispensing medicines in original packs and multi-compartment compliance aid packs for a large number of the company’s other pharmacies. In addition, the pharmacy operates as an online pharmacy dispensing NHS prescriptions for delivery to people’s homes. The online pharmacy also sells a range over the counter (OTC) medicines, and it has a pharmacist-led private prescribing service. People access the online services through two websites www.peakpharmacy.co.uk and www.travelpharm.com. The unit contains the company’s head office and its wholesaling warehouse.

Standards by principle

• Principle 1 – Governance

  Standards met

  The pharmacy generally manages risks to make sure its services are safe, and it accurately completes all the records that it needs to by law. Pharmacy team members work to professional standards, and they are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They record their mistakes so that they can learn from them, and they act to help stop the same sort of mistakes from happening again. Team members keep people's private information safe and understand how they can help to protect the welfare of vulnerable people. The pharmacy manages its online service reasonably safely. But the pharmacy could improve its prescribing policies, risk assessments and audits, to demonstrate and make sure that its online systems and processes are safe and effective.

• Principle 2 – Staff

  Standards met

  The pharmacy team members receive training for the jobs they do. They work well together and communicate effectively. The pharmacy provides structured training and development, and it supports its team members to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. Team members are comfortable providing feedback to their manager and they receive feedback about their own performance.

• Principle 3 – Premises

  Standards met

  The pharmacy provides a suitable environment for the provision of healthcare services. Its websites provide useful information about the pharmacy and its services. But website information is occasionally inaccurate or misleading, so people might not have the correct information to make an informed decision about their care.

• Principle 4 – Services

  Standards met

  Overall, the pharmacy sources, stores, and supplies medicines safely. It carries out some checks to ensure medicines are in good condition and suitable to supply. But it could improve its management of alerts and recalls, to ensure its actions these promptly. The pharmacy’s hub operations are well organised. But people receiving compliance packs might not always have easy access to information leaflets that they may need to take their medicines safely. The pharmacy’s online prescribing services are well managed, but the prescribers are not routinely sharing information with people’s usual doctor. This means that they may not have relevant and up-to-date information about the person to support ongoing safe and effective care.

• Principle 5 – Equipment

  Standards met

  Members of the pharmacy teams have access to the equipment and facilities they need for the services they provide. They maintain the equipment so that it is safe to use.

Inspection history summary