Enter and view: Pharmacy 365 - Church View
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Healthwatch Sandwell carried out an Enter and View visit to 365 Pharmacy Churchview in Cradley Heath on 24 May 2022 to explore customers’ experiences of using the pharmacy and to assess the quality of services provided. During the visit, Healthwatch spoke with 25 customers and observed the environment and interactions between staff and service users.
The pharmacy provides a wide range of services, including NHS and private prescription dispensing, medication advice, prescription collection and delivery, flu vaccinations, and travel health support. It serves patients from several local GP practices and is open extended hours throughout the week.
Feedback from customers was overwhelmingly positive. Most customers reported receiving the correct medication on time and said that any delays were generally caused by communication or IT issues between GP practices and the pharmacy rather than by the pharmacy itself. Customers described staff as helpful, knowledgeable and willing to answer questions about medications and health concerns.
Customers also reported that concerns were addressed promptly and effectively. They felt that staff listened to them, tried their best to resolve problems and acted quickly when issues arose. Most customers understood how to raise concerns within the pharmacy, although many were unaware of how to make complaints externally.
Healthwatch observed positive interactions between staff and customers. One customer was taken to a private consultation area to discuss a sensitive issue, demonstrating respect for confidentiality and privacy. Staff were also observed managing a difficult prescription issue professionally and liaising directly with a GP surgery to help resolve the matter on behalf of a customer.
Customers consistently described staff as professional, polite, respectful and courteous. They felt they were treated with dignity and that confidentiality was maintained. One customer described the staff as "superb" and stated that nothing was too much trouble for them.
The pharmacy environment was found to be clean, welcoming and well stocked, with a private consultation room available for confidential discussions. Covid-19 safety measures remained in place, including hand sanitiser and social distancing signage. Customers reported that the premises felt safe and accessible.
Staff reported that they regularly undertook professional training and that there was strong teamwork within the pharmacy. Communication with local primary care services was described as effective, and staff highlighted their efforts to advocate on behalf of customers when problems occurred.
Customers were asked to rate the pharmacy, with 95% describing the service as excellent and 5% giving a neutral rating. No customers identified any improvements they wanted the pharmacy to make.
Overall, Healthwatch concluded that 365 Pharmacy Churchview provided a highly valued service to the local community. The pharmacy was found to work closely with local GP practices, provide good customer support and maintain a clean and professional environment. The only recommendation was that the pharmacy should display clearer information about the complaints procedure, including details of external organisations customers could contact if they wished to escalate a complaint.