Home Essential Service: Clinical Governance
As part of the Clinical Governance requirements, pharmacies have to participate in clinical audit of their services and have arrangements in place to verify the quality of advice provided to patients. They must have procedures for providing information to patients, obtaining views and dealing with complaints from patients. They must also implement relevant risk management measures.
Pharmacies must have staff management, training and development procedures in place for their staff, and ensure handling of all data meets legal and ethical requirements including confidentiality and data protection. Contractors are required to ensure that there are confidentiality policies in place for all staff and that they are appropriately trained.
Patients will have the opportunity to feed back on their level of satisfaction with their local pharmacy service by completing the Community Pharmacy Patient Questionnaire. A pharmacy will review the survey results and consider changes to improve service provision for the benefit of patients.
Service Specification
Click on the link below to download the Service Specification for Essential Service 8 - Clinical Governance:
Clinical Governance Service Specification
Related Resources
Audit
The RPSGB has produced a number of audit templates which could be used by contractors. They are available on the Audit section of the RPSGB website.
Chaperone Policy
The PSNC briefing on Chaperone Policies summarises the Chaperone Guidance issued by the National Clinical Governance Support Team. It is not mandatory to have in place a chaperone policy, but pharmacy contractors may wish to consider the adoption of a policy in order to protect patients and staff.
Complaints
PSNC Complaints Briefing Paper and Recording Templates
Confidentiality
PSNC briefing on confidentiality, data protection and human rights
Confidentiality and Data Protection staff declaration
NHS Code of Practice on Confidentiality
RPSGB Guidance on NHS Code of Practice on Confidentiality
CPPQ (Patient satisfaction survey)
Community Pharmacy Patient Questionnaire (formerly Patient Satisfaction Survey)
Interventions
RPSGB guidance on the recording of interventions
Patient Safety Incident Reporting
Overview of Community Pharmacy Reporting to the NPSA
Report an Incident (NPSA NRLS Online Form)
PSNC Incident Reporting Form
NPSA Root Cause Analysis e-learning Package
Seven steps to patient safety for primary care
Guide to significant event audit
Practice leaflets
Safeguarding
RPSGB Guidance on Child Protection
RPSGB guidance on reporting sexual activity in children under 13 years
RPSGB guidance on protection of vulnerable adults
RPSGB guidance on raising concerns
SOPs
Additional Resources
Quality Improvement for Pharmacy Development website