Benchmarking Guidelines for Community Pharmacy Practice

Background ( For info only )

Premises.

• Area: a minimum of 200 Sq. ft.
• Designated area for counselling, waiting area.
• Designated area for wet and dry compounding/dispensing.
• Exterior display:
  Signboard: Pharmacy/Advertisement Ratio?
  Logo

• Display of types of services available e.g. blood glucose, cholesterol, pregnancy, blood grouping tests or electronic blood pressure monitoring.
• Security
  Locks to main door/gate.
  Lock to Psychotropic drugs.
  Poison products under lock and key.

• Insurance
  Professional indemnity
  Public liability
  Fire and burglary

• Level of cleanliness and hygiene.
  Pest control

• General Environment for clients.
  Conform to occupational and safety health requirements : escape way.
  Noise level
  Arrangement/ display of OTC products; ease of selection of products.
  Temperature, lighting and ventilation.

• Availability of refrigerator.
• Method of pharmaceutical waste disposal. (For info only)

Equipment

• Inventory control : computerisation/ stockcards.
• Availability of mortar and pestle, weighing balance, counting tray and measuring cylinders. 

Personnel

• Image presented, both RPH and staff dressing code.
• Training for staff.

Dispensing of Medicines

• Dispensing must be under the supervision of the pharmacist.
  Dangerous drugs and Psychotropic.
  Prescription and Pharmacy Only Medicines (Gp C)
  OTC medicines
  Cases of referral to pharmacists by pharmacy/sales assistants.

• Screening of prescription by the pharmacist. The Pharmacist must ensure that the patient receives sufficient info and advise to enable the safe and effective use of the medicines.
• Interventions.
• Records
• Dispensing container : use of amber bottle.
• Labelling (printed and hand written) bears the proprietary/generic names, strength, quantity, manufacturer’s name, batch no and expiry dates.
• Maintenance of Patient Medication Record. (By means of card, a record book, by computer)

Dispensing errors

• Steps to minimise e.g. incorrect selection, incorrect interpretation.
• Checking procedures and cautions.

Inventory management.

• External use - preferably to store separately from internal use items.
• Control of expired and expiring stocks.
• Storage space/compartments.

Reference library

• Martindale
• BNF
• BPC 1970 ?
• Dims
• Other reference books and relevant legislation references.

Professional Standards.

• Pharmacist’s ethics.
• The accountability of the pharmacist.
• Professional competence. Involvement in MPS’s CPE programme.
• Observance of relevant laws.
• The pharmacist must ensure that the confidentiality of patient information.
• Extent of interaction with colleagues and other health professionals.
• Participation in MPS activities.

Participation in Health Promotion Activities.

• Participation in community activities.

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