The National Pharmacy Association has launched a new online Standard Operating Procedure management programme designed to help members simplify compliance, strengthen patient safety and keep pharmacy teams up to date.
The NPA says the new system will allow its 6,000 member pharmacies to create, customise, distribute and manage their SOPs from one place.
Recognising that pharmacy businesses vary considerably in size and structure, the programme offers three different levels of support.
Three options for pharmacies
Members can choose from:
The range of options is intended to support both individual pharmacies and businesses operating multiple branches.
For larger groups, the system provides a way to manage documentation centrally and ensure that each pharmacy has access to the latest approved version. It could also help businesses monitor changes, maintain an audit history and reduce the administrative work involved in updating SOPs across several locations.
Individual pharmacy owners can select a simpler option while still benefiting from SOPs developed using the NPA team’s community pharmacy experience.
Supporting patient safety
SOPs provide pharmacy teams with clear and consistent instructions for completing important tasks safely. They can also help businesses demonstrate that appropriate governance, training and monitoring arrangements are in place.
Jonathan Nobbs, the NPA’s Director of Membership, said: “Operating procedures are vital to every pharmacy and are fundamental to ensuring patient safety.”
He said the organisation wanted to combine the frontline experience of its pharmacy team with a modern management system that could support both individual pharmacies and larger groups.
According to the NPA, the system will allow members to amend, edit and track SOPs across one pharmacy or multiple branches.
The association says it has the industry’s largest dedicated team of full-time pharmacist advisers, providing independent community pharmacies with advice, documentation and individual support.
The new SOP programme follows the introduction of a package of NPA resources designed to support member pharmacies as the profession moves towards a greater role in prescribing and clinical service delivery.
The NPA described the platform as its latest membership enhancement and said it was committed to supporting community pharmacies as their responsibilities and services continue to develop.
Further information is available from the National Pharmacy Association.