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Record learning outcomes

A study commissioned by the General Pharmaceutical Council has found that the new approach to regulating registered pharmacies, introduced in November 2013, is perceived to be working well.

The standards for registered pharmacies were generally well-understood, the study found, with the majority of community pharmacy professionals (86 per cent) reporting that they were aware of the standards. Some 98 per cent of pharmacy professionals who had experienced an inspection pointed to the importance of the GPhC inspector's feedback during the inspection process in helping them to meet and improve on standards.

There was also widespread agreement that inspection reports help pharmacies to improve their services to patients and the public: 92 per cent of those who had been inspected agreed that inspection reports were valuable in implementing improvements in quality and performance, and 87 per cent agreed that reports helped them focus their efforts on the areas of most relevance to patient safety.

Developing action plans when one or more standards were not met was also felt to help pharmacy professionals to focus on the issues of most importance to patients.

Concerns were expressed by some respondents about the current ratings model, with some suggesting there was a lack of clarity and differentiation between ratings. And there was a suggestion that the time in which pharmacies have to make improvements identified through action plans should be extended.

Commenting on the study's findings, Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the GPhC, said: €We are committed to using evidence to inform our decision making and this study gives us important insights into how our inspection model is working. The study also highlights some useful feedback on key issues which we can use as we work to improve and refine our approach.€

The full report can be accessed on the GPhC's website.