Overview of quality requirements
The key quality requirements of the Scheme are:
- Duty of confidentiality-Is there evidence of staff training? There must be clear practice policies including procedures on collection of medicines by a patient’s friend or family for example.
- Dispensing staff must be appropriately trained and undertake continued training with annual appraisals. Competency assessments must also be undertaken. Proof of training and relevant professional certificates must be available for every member of your team. Ensure you have scheduled appraisals to allow time before the deadline. For registered technicians evidence of CPD and relevant registration must be available.
- Dispensers who work unsupervised must have at least 1,000 dispensing hours work experience over the previous five years in a GP dispensary or community pharmacy, and must be trained to a minimum level of Pharmacy Services NVQ level 2.
- Minimum levels of staff hours dedicated to dispensary services (minimum hours are laid out in the front of the Drug tariff).
- Staff with a limited dispensing role must be given relevant training and a competency assessment. Dispex have an online training course accredited by CPD for Prescription Clerks. This course is also suitable for any member of staff that handles prescriptions or prescription requests. Other suitable training for those new to dispensary or with a limited dispensing role would benefit from our online Introduction to Dispensing course.
- Standard Operating Procedures (‘SOPs’) which reflect good professional practice and all dispensary procedures. SOPs must be reviewed and updated at least once every 12 months and whenever dispensing procedures are amended.
- An audit must be undertaken on a particular subject and re audited to show outcomes. Topics will be suggested in the DSQS guidance but choose a topic most worthwhile for your practice. Refer to the DSQS audit guidance for how to successfully undertake a DSQS audit.
- Risk assessment.
- A Significant Event Monitoring Procedure must be in place.
- An annual review (DRUM) must take place of the medicines use for 7.5% of the dispensing list on January 1st 2022 .This has been reduced from the usual 10% for the second year running. Prioritise DRUMs for high risk patients or those that would most benefit from a review.
- Assessment of performance against the criteria for payment.
