Assist with the provision of a pharmacy service
Overview
​This standard is about listening to an individual’s needs and providing information and advice to satisfy their requirements as well as dealing with instances of day-to-day complaints, queries and concerns.
Your practice will be consistent with your occupational role and carried out under the regulatory, professional and ethical frameworks established in the context of current legislation. You will need to take a reflective approach to your work.
You will work at all times within Standard Operating Procedures that relate to the way in which a pharmacy service is provided in your work place. A caring and compassionate approach should be adopted in line with current healthcare guidance. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- communicate with the individual and key people at a pace, in a manner and at a level appropriate to the individual's understanding, preferences and needs
- adapt to the verbal and non-verbal forms of communication offered by the individual
- work within the relevant Standard Operating Procedures including the relevant health and safety procedures and within your own limits of competence
- acknowledge requests for information from individuals in a professional manner
- identify the needs of individuals accurately through appropriate questioning
- check and agree with the individual your perceptions of their needs
- discuss and confirm with the individual the next steps
- provide information clearly and in a way that the individual can understand, within the limit of your competence
- check that the information you have given meets the needs of the individual
- where any information required is outside the remit of your role, refer the individual to the appropriate person as identified in the Standard Operating Procedures
- where the individual has a query, complaint or concern, take action *to resolve it *in line with Standard Operating Procedures and the organisational policies for customer service
- where appropriate, complete all relevant documentation and store appropriately in accordance with legal and organisational requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the Standard Operating Procedures and the importance of adhering to them at all times
- the importance of working within the limits of your competence and authority, when to seek agreement or permission from others and when to refer on to an appropriate person
- current health and safety legislation and how it applies to the working environment
- legal, organisational and policy requirements relevant to your role, the role of others in your organisation and the activities being carried out
- the relevant national and local guidelines, policies and procedures that are available and how and when they should be accessed
- the importance of adhering to information governance policies and maintaining confidentiality when sharing information about individuals with others
- the duty to report any acts or omissions that could be detrimental to individuals, yourself, colleagues or your employer
- what constitutes good customer service
- the organisation's policy on the service provided to individuals and how this applies to your role
- the organisation's procedure for handling complaints
- how to assess complaints and what action to take
- when you should refer complaints and to whom
- methods of enabling effective communication and supporting individuals to communicate their needs, views and preferences
- the importance of establishing the requirements of individuals clearly and accurately
- the importance of collecting the relevant information about the individual and their problem
- the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication when communicating with individuals
- how to give clear and accurate information and check the individual's understanding
- how to manage conflict and/or individuals who are distressed
- relevant products and services or advice for which information and/or advice is required
- where to get assistance if you cannot provide information and advice yourself
- the source(s) of information that can be accessed and the information that can be given to individuals by you and other colleagues
- the importance of recording, storing and retrieving information in accordance with organisational procedures
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Links To Other NOS
External Links
This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004):
Dimension: Core 1 Communication