Community pharmacies are healthcare settings in which services are provided to members of the public. To ensure that the services offered are of a high standard and safe for members of the public, pharmacies should have in place robust quality assurance processes and protocols. The implementation of these processes and protocols, by those in governance roles and the pharmacy team, will warrant that the services provided:

1. Meet the standards set by the PSI – the Pharmacy Regulator;
2. Are compliant with legal requirements and additional guidance; and
3. Are safe for members of the public.

“ Risk assessing the services provided regularly will improve the quality of the services and promote best practice, patient safety and patient satisfaction.”

Risk assessments are one of the many tools used as part of the quality assurance processes observed in pharmacies. Risk assessing the services provided regularly will improve the quality of the services and promote best practice, patient safety and patient satisfaction. Therefore, a risk assessment should not only be carried out for new services introduced in the pharmacy practice, but it should be a common practice exercised by the pharmacy team for all services.

The purpose of carrying out a risk assessment is to identify the potential hazards associated with the service offered. Once identified, those in governance should ensure that preventative measures are in place to address these hazards.

For example, when assessing a vaccination service offered by the pharmacy, those in governance roles may consider the following particulars:

• Staffing levels: The pharmacy should have enough staff members to support the team with the provision of the service in addition to their day-to-day duties including administrative tasks and record keeping in line with the requirements of the legislation;
• Professional cover: Adequate professional cover should be available at the pharmacy to enable the appropriate aural and visual supervision of the professional activities carried out at the pharmacy;
• Training: The pharmacy team should be trained in the symptoms and signs of anaphylaxis and the urgency of referring patients with these symptoms to the pharmacist. Pharmacists should undergo the relevant accredited training (where applicable) before the provision of the relevant service;
• Policies: The pharmacy should have up-to-date policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding the provision of that particular service. The pharmacy team should be trained on those SOPs and policies and records of this training should be kept at the pharmacy;
• Premises: The patient consultation area (PCA) should be reviewed to ensure that it meets the additional requirement (if any) for the provision of this service. For example, the PCA should be of sufficient size and appropriate layout to enable and facilitate a safe workflow and manage potential adverse events;
• Equipment: The pharmacy should have sufficient stock in the anaphylaxis kit. It is recommended to have chairs with armrests. In some cases, having a small sink available facilitates the professional service and ensures hand hygiene;
• Waste management: Sharps and medical waste should be placed in specialised waste bins. These bins should be stored in a secure place which members of the public do not have access to;
• Infection, prevention and control (IPC): Pharmacies should apply basic IPC strategies to minimise risk to patients and staff; and
• Feedback: The pharmacy should have in place a system to actively encourage feedback from members of the public and pharmacy staff about the quality and safety of the service provided.

There are many resources available to support you with the risk assessment of your pharmacy practice. For example:

• The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has resources available to support you carrying out a risk assessment. The BeSmart.ie risk assessment tool will help you to identify hazards and develop an action plan to address any hazards identified;
• The HSE has point of care risk assessment (PCRA) tools that explain how to carry out a PCRA step by step. You may also find useful the 2023 HSE enterprise risk management support tools, which provide generic risk assessments and self-audit tools;
• The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has available material and posters to support infection, prevention and control risk assessment; and
• The PSI guidelines also provide support regarding the particulars and additional factors to consider when assessing pharmacy services.

If you would like to offer a new service at your pharmacy or wish to have more information on how to assess the services your pharmacy is currently providing, contact the Professional Service Team at the IPU via pharmacists@ipu.ie.

References available on request.