We are committed to using evidence to inform our decision making

Pharmacy professionals believe that the GPhC's premises inspection process is helping to improve patient safety and pharmacy services, according to a survey published today.

The survey concludes that the GPhC approach to premises inspection, introduced in November 2013, is working well, with 86 per cent of pharmacy professionals aware of the standards. And 98 per cent of those who have 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.

Results of an online survey of over 3,700 people working in or responsible for community pharmacies were combined with in-depth interviews with stakeholders, community pharmacy professionals, inspectors and trade associations for a report on behalf of the GPhC. It found that 92 per cent of those who had been inspected agreed that inspection reports are valuable to implement 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.

But the study also highlighted some issues for the GPhC to consider as it continues to develop and refine its approach. Some respondents were concerned about the current ratings model, 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.

Duncan Rudkin, GPhC chief executive, said: “At the heart of our approach to inspections is a focus on driving improvement in pharmacy practice and on providing assurance to people using pharmacy services. 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. It is very encouraging that the majority of pharmacy professionals agree that inspections are helping to deliver real improvements in patient safety and the care people receive from pharmacies. The study also highlights some useful feedback on key issues which we can use as we work to improve and refine our approach."