We alerted members to this broadcast in advance, to highlight to you the potential for enquiries from patients or their families. We hope you managed to watch the broadcast as it will have once again placed pharmacy safety standards into public debate. You can still view the programme via the BBC iPlayer until 31 October.
To view the programme, please follow this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bmpbdw
In a general sense this case appears to be a timely reminder to decision-makers and those who work in community pharmacy to think about safety, and about the need for candour when communicating with patients or their next of kin (which applies to managers just as it does to pharmacists).
Some of the issues raised in the programme included the importance of treating patients appropriately when things go wrong, staffing levels sufficient to meet the expectations placed upon staff, transparency, co-operation and pro-active disclosure from organisations in the event of an error including during inquest proceedings, the accurate completion of incident and investigation reports and the need for up-to-date and sensible Standard Operating Procedures which can always be followed on the front-line.
As an organisation concerned with risk management we, more than most, see situations when things have gone wrong and we appreciate that an appropriate review leading to an understanding of what happened is essential. A full understanding allows the correct action to be identified and implemented and that means looking at systemic aspects as well as the actions of individuals.
In such sad circumstances where patient harm has resulted, it is also important that both those directly involved, such as pharmacists, and those who influence the conditions of the pharmacy, such as employers and senior management, are equally scrutinised.
PDA members who have concerns about the issues raised in the programme, the safety of their pharmacy, or other related aspects should contact us.