The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), in collaboration with the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) and the Pharmacy Forum Northern Ireland (PFNI), has updated its set of professional standards that support pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy teams responding to patient safety incidents.
The Patient safety professional standards - responding to patient safety incidents describe clear expectations and outcomes to help pharmacy professionals, regardless of setting, practice or level of expertise, to demonstrate good and effective professional practice, patient safety and systems of care, and provide support to meet regulatory standards.
They also provide a framework for reflecting, reporting and recording incidents, sharing learning, taking action and reviewing and evaluating incidents as part of a patient safety culture.
The standards can also be used to inform, develop and implement local and organisational policies and services and should be applied when risk-assessing new services and using new and evolving technologies.
The update includes:
- New supporting resources, including case studies
- Improved clarity around expectations and outcomes
- Expanded standards to include all roles and sectors within pharmacy
- New legislation and updated guidance from GPhC and NHS England.
The update was led by an expert steering group with feedback from patients and patient safety specialists and replaces the 2016 version called the ‘RPS Professional standards for the reporting, learning, sharing, taking action and review of incidents’.
RPS Guidance Manager Regina Ahmed said:
“The professional standards and guidance produced by RPS provide a framework to support pharmacy professionals and pharmacy teams to develop their professional practice, improve services, shape future services, and deliver high-quality patient care.
"This set of evolved standards are the fruitful outcome of the collaboration between professional leadership bodies alongside patient safety subject matter experts. Their implementation will help demonstrate the patient safety culture we wish to see in all pharmacy teams.”
Nicola Stockmann, President of APTUK, said:
"APTUK are pleased to have prompted the review and subsequently supported with input to the significant update of the Patient Safety Professional Standards. The updated standards can be used by the entire pharmacy team to assist with professional judgement and management of events, including supporting those impacted. Additionally, it can be used to identify sustainable system improvements, with facilitation of both shared and individual learning."
Julie Greenfield, Pharmacy Forum NI Manager, said:
“It has been great to continue this important collaboration between the professional bodies underscoring our commitment to uphold high standards and promote best practice in responding to patient safety incidents.
‘’By working together, the review and update of the standards and guidance aligns with current best practice, is relevant for all pharmacy team members and importantly ensures consistency UK-wide.’’
Pharmacy professionals following professional standards and guidance set by the RPS should have confidence these help to meet the overarching regulatory standards set by the GPhC.
Take a look at our updated Patient Safety Professional Standards.
Read more RPS news stories.