January in Dispensing Practice:
Straight into the New year in dispensing practice there can often be a brief few days of relative calm. The collection of medications in time for Christmas and New year has often meant a lot of patients may have collected early.
Using this time well, is key for setting up the New year. In my dispensary I use what time I can in January to undertake a few key tasks:
- Set up the new date checking matrix in a prom-inent location. I like to display this on the safety information board. Ensure all date checking is up to date and properly logged. Have a good tidy of shelves and stock rotate as you go. File away last years date checking records.
- DO DRUMS. If you are yet to have completed the DRUMS for the year, then set aside a target of hitting this by the end of January. Utilise any promo material you have to encourage participation from your eligible patients and engage the dispensary team. Have a big stack of DRUM forms beside the dispensary hatch or window and complete with all eligible patients at the point of collecting medicines! New to DRUMS then consider attending a Dispex DRUMS tutorial- click here for details
- If not already done so then get your audit for DSQS underway. New to DSQS then consider attending a Dispex DSQS tutorial- click here for details
- Check through shelves to see if any uncollected medicines remain from over 2 months ago and contact patients to collect or remove issue.
- Set your calendar’s up for the year with important dates such as care / nursing home ordering dates and important deadlines.
- Wherever possible destroy old records no longer needing to be stored. Such as old invoices or CD registers. Check sps.nhs.uk for the guidance on retention of records.
- Look after your team. Set dates for appraisals with the team and check in with each other. Make sure there is up to date employee guidance and wellbeing information on display.
- Check patient notice boards all have relevant and up to date information on them.
Setting the New Year up as you mean to go on is key with all the uncertainty we are facing with the current health crisis.
Stay safe, Kirstye.
Kirstye, will be hosting two free Prescription Clerks Intro webinars and several tutorials over the coming months!
