Blog
IT – Cloud solutions for storage and management of clinical data, Quality Systems and SOPs
What do you do with your old SOPs? Do you have space to store them in your office? Do you archive them? Do you have staff who work from home or in other countries? Do you save them digitally or in paper form? I am old enough to remember “Punch Cards “and “Microfiche”...
“Special Measures “- The NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) – Monitor-CQC
What are special measures and how do NHS TDA Monitor and CQC work together? What will happen when NHS TDA and Monitor place a trust in “Special measures”? CQC, through their chief inspector may recommend that a Trust is placed in special measures if they have evidence...
2014 GPhC Inspections – are you prepared?
It seems 2014 will be the year of GPhC inspections for many pharmacies across the UK. Many of you may have impending inspections with many more to follow. We've had a number of pharmacists contact us recently about the inspection process, what to expect and what...
Opening a Pharmacy in 2014
So you want to open a pharmacy? To be your own boss. Do you know which location you would like? Which rule will you apply under? Have you read the relevant PNA? And what does it say? An NHS contracted pharmacy cannot simply be opened; you have to apply. And you have...
Changing landscape of UK Community Pharmacy
Following on from news of the Co-Op's decision to sell of its 750 pharmacies, Chemist & Druggist reported that a private consortium has raised approximately £40 m of the targeted £60 m required to commence their negotiations with the group. Whilst the group has an...
Falsified Medicines
As advisors to medicine wholesalers and pharmacies, we concern ourselves with maintaining the integrity of the supply chain. We stress the importance of being wary of falsified medicines and the pitfalls to look out for. Why is this product so cheap? Why is such a...
Validation of Cool/Cold Chain GDP Requirements – a common sense approach
One of the main changes seen in the recently issued European Commission Guidelines on Good Distribution Practices for medicines for human use (2013/C 343/01) is the emphasis on validating the entire supply chain to ensure that products that are temperature sensitive...
An Audit – a disruption or a useful tool?
There you are, a Team Leader/Manager, with a full workload for the day, deadlines to meet, goods to get out the door, orders to process, sales to make and you get a notification of an audit! Either internal or external, they appear to get in the way of what you need...
Why do Medical Devices fail ?
Devices fail for many reasons, the problem is becoming ever more serious and new guidelines are imminent to try to reduce the failure rate and number of recalls we are currently experiencing. Below re just a few things that may lead to a medical device failures...
Come on Pharmacists it is time to collaborate and be innovative.
Come on all you proactive pharmacists the time has come to engage and collaborate with your CCG and local GPs. NHS England is looking for new and novel ways of working that put patients first. Did you get the change to read the following by Dr Mike Bewick, Deputy...
Monitored Dosage Systems (MDS) are they past their sell by date ?
The monitored dosage system (MDS) or sometimes known as multi-compartment compliance aids versus original pack dispensing what do you think or more importantly what do your patients think. I tend to side with original packs for several reasons the first and foremost...
Responsible Person and Good Distribution Practice Training
Pharmacy Consulting run monthly courses in the roles of the Responsible Person and Good Distribution Practice. For anyone involved in, or looking to be involved, a business holding a WDA(H) or the wholesaling of medicines, this training is relevant to you. It is...