Townsends PharmacyGPhC

Pharmacy context

A community pharmacy set in a row of shops serving the residential area of Woodhatch on the outskirts of Reigate. The pharmacy opens six days a week. It sells a range of over-the-counter medicines and dispenses NHS and private prescriptions. It supplies medicines to several care homes and provides multi-compartment compliance packs to help people take their medicines. It delivers medicines to people who can’t attend its premises in person. And it offers winter influenza (flu) vaccinations.

Standards by principle

• Principle 1 – Governance

  Standards met

  The pharmacy has written procedures to help make sure its team works safely. It adequately monitors the safety of its services. It has appropriate insurance to protect people if things do go wrong. It generally keeps all the records it needs to by law. And it asks people using its services for their views. People who work in the pharmacy can explain what they do, what they’re responsible for and when they might seek help. They work to professional standards and identify and manage risks appropriately. They record the mistakes they make and learn from them to try and stop them happening again. They keep people’s private information safe. And they have access to a range of information to help them recognise, support and protect vulnerable people.

• Principle 2 – Staff

  Good practice

  The pharmacy has enough suitably qualified team members to provide safe and effective care. And it encourages its team members to give feedback. Staff work effectively together as a team and have a work culture of openness, honesty and learning. They receive set aside time to train and to keep their knowledge up to date. And they learn from their own and other people’s mistakes. The pharmacy team makes appropriate decisions about what is right for the people it cares for. Staff know how to raise a concern if they have one. And their professional judgement and patient safety are not affected by targets.

• Principle 3 – Premises

  Standards met

  The pharmacy provides an adequate environment for people to receive healthcare. But it’s care home dispensary is small. So, its staff don’t always have the space they need to work in when it’s busy.

• Principle 4 – Services

  Standards met

  The pharmacy’s working practices are safe and effective. The pharmacy tries to make sure its services are accessible to people. It gets its medicines from reputable sources and it stores them appropriately and securely. The pharmacy’s team members check stocks of medicines to make sure they are fit for purpose. And they dispose of people’s waste medicines safely. But they don’t always make sure people have all the information they need to take their medicines safely.

• Principle 5 – Equipment

  Standards met

  The pharmacy has the equipment and the facilities it needs to provide its services safely.

Inspection history summary