Medco PharmacyGPhC

Pharmacy context

An independent pharmacy. One of two owned by the same company. The pharmacy is in a residential area close to the centre of Teddington. And it provides a range of services which include dispensing prescriptions and selling medicines. The pharmacy provides a delivery service for the vulnerable and housebound. And it provides a flu vaccination service in winter. The inspection was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic during the second phase of the UK’s roadmap out of lockdown.

Standards by principle

• Principle 1 – Governance

  Standards met

  The pharmacy identifies its risks adequately. And its team members have adapted their working practices suitably to minimise risks to people's safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. And it has insurance to cover its services. Team members know how to protect people’s private information. The pharmacy generally keeps all the records it needs to keep. But it is not thorough enough in keeping records of its mistakes or reviewing them. So that changes can be made to stop mistakes from happening again. The pharmacy has written procedures in place to help ensure that its team members work safely. But it does not ensure that every team member has read and understood those written procedures which are relevant to their roles.

• Principle 2 – Staff

  Standards met

  The pharmacy team manages its workload safely and effectively. And team members work well together. They are supported by colleagues. And they are comfortable about providing feedback to one another, so that they can maintain the quality of the pharmacy's services.

• Principle 3 – Premises

  Standards met

  The pharmacy’s premises provide an adequate environment for people to receive its services. They are sufficiently clean and secure. But the pharmacy does not have a regular enough cleaning routine and it does not have enough space for the workload.

• Principle 4 – Services

  Standards met

  The pharmacy provides its services safely. And makes them easily accessible for people. The pharmacy team gets its medicines and medical devices from appropriate sources. Team members make the necessary checks to ensure that the pharmacy’s medicines and devices are safe to use to protect people’s health and wellbeing. The pharmacy generally stores its medicines properly. But it does not do enough to ensure that all medicines are packed and labelled correctly when it puts them back into stock.

• Principle 5 – Equipment

  Standards met

  The pharmacy has the equipment and facilities it needs to provide its services safely. And, it keeps them clean. The team uses its facilities and equipment to keep people's private information safe.

Inspection history summary