Updated premises inspections will tackle unprofessional working environments
Exclusive New powers awarded to the GPhC giving it responsibility for pharmacy premises inspections will ensure targets and incentives do not compromise patient safety or professionalism, said chief executive Duncan Rudkin
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has said it will tackle unprofessional working environments through updated premises inspections.
The inspections, as a national pilot due to start on November 4, will ensure targets and incentives do not compromise patient safety or professionalism, GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin told C+D in an exclusive interview on Friday (September 13).
The inspectors will assess pharmacies against new premises standards and award them one of four ratings ranging from "poor" to "outstanding" (see How your pharmacy will be rated, below). However, the GPhC will only have powers to enforce the standards and make the results public next year, once the surrounding legislation has been passed.
GPhC chief Duncan Rudkin said the updated premises standards would ensure owners and superintendents took responsibility for the working environments they created |
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Mr Rudkin said the standards would ensure owners and superintendents took responsibility for the working environments they created. "If you're an individual working in an environment you're not actually controlling, you're not accountable for that environment," he told C+D. |
The focus on professionalism in the workplace was particularly important following the concerns raised in February's Francis report, which criticised organisational culture at the Mid-Staffordshire hospital trust, Mr Rudkin argued.
"One of the key themes in our standards is about the responsibility owners and superintendents have [to ensure] professionals can behave as professionals and live up to their professional responsibilities," he said. "That's absolutely essential in the Francis report and... very much relevant to pharmacy, where there clearly have been issues about the balance between what owners are expected to take responsibility for and what individuals take responsibility for." Pharmacy owners and superintendents would be expected to address any issues identified in inspections through an action plan, Mr Rudkin added. But he stressed that individuals should retain some responsibility for addressing problems in their working environment. "What you are accountable for is your actions, such as are you raising a concern and doing what you can to address that?" he said. Earlier this month, GPhC chair Bob Nicholls highlighted the importance of organisations creating a professional culture. "These things need to be done in organisations – some don't and some need encouraging to do it better," he stressed. |
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How your pharmacy will be ratedA poor pharmacy: A pharmacy that has failed to meet the premises standards overall. It is likely to have major non-compliances against standards that indicate a moderate to high risk to patient safety – for example, a major breach of one of the red-flag standards. A satisfactory pharmacy: A pharmacy that meets the majority of standards. Where there are minor non-compliances, these present a low risk to patient safety. A good pharmacy: A pharmacy that meets all the standards consistently well and can demonstrate positive outcomes. An excellent pharmacy: A pharmacy that meets all the standards consistently well and can demonstrate innovation in the delivery of pharmacy services. Source: GPhC, September 2013 |
Full details on inspection criteria will be published before the beginning of November, although the GPhC could not yet confirm a set date.
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