Ash Vale Pharmacy & Travel ClinicGPhC

Pharmacy context

This is a busy NHS community pharmacy set on a parade of shops in Ash Vale. The pharmacy is part of a large chain of pharmacies. It opens six days a week. It sells a range of health and beauty products, including some over-the-counter medicines. It dispenses people’s prescriptions. It delivers medicines to people who can’t attend its premises in person. And it supplies substance misuse treatments. The pharmacy dispenses medicines to people who live in a care home. It provides multi-compartment compliance packs (compliance packs) to help people take their medicines. And people can get a flu jab (vaccination) from the pharmacy.

Standards by principle

• Principle 1 – Governance

  Standards met

  The pharmacy generally manages its risks appropriately. It has written instructions to help its team works safely. It mostly keeps the records it needs to by law. And it has appropriate insurance to protect people if things do go wrong. People who work in the pharmacy can explain what they do, what they are responsible for and when they might seek help. They keep people’s private information safe. They understand their role in protecting vulnerable people. And they review the mistakes they make. So, they can learn from them to try and stop them happening again.

• Principle 2 – Staff

  Standards met

  The pharmacy has just enough people in its team to deliver safe and effective care. But sometimes team members are so busy they struggle to do all the things they are expected to do. Members of the pharmacy team do the right training for their roles. They work well together and make decisions about what is right for the people they care for. They’re comfortable about giving feedback on how to improve the pharmacy and its services. They 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 a safe, secure and professional environment for people to receive healthcare in. And its premises are bright and tidy. The pharmacy has a room where people can have private conversations with members of the pharmacy team.

• Principle 4 – Services

  Standards met

  The pharmacy provides services that people can access. Its working practices are generally safe and effective. And its team is helpful. Members of the pharmacy team dispose of people’s unwanted medicines properly. And they carry out checks to make sure the pharmacy’s medicines are safe and fit for purpose. The pharmacy delivers prescription medicines to people’s homes and keeps records to show that it has delivered the right medicine to the right person. It gets its medicines from reputable sources. And it stores them appropriately and securely.

• Principle 5 – Equipment

  Standards met

  The pharmacy has the equipment and the facilities it needs to provide its services safely. It uses its equipment to make sure people’s data is kept secure. And its team makes sure the equipment it uses is clean.

Inspection history summary