Step 4: Are there quality goals, supporting objectives and quality initiatives?

A lack of clear goals, objectives and measurement is characteristic of many pharmacy quality approaches. What are your quality goals? What do you want to achieve? Two to three key goals is sufficient and must support your quality vision.

Example: quality goal €“ €To achieve quality accreditation to ISO 9001€ From this goal, supporting objectives must be identified.

Example: supporting objectives €“

€To achieve stage one assessment by XXXX€ €To achieve stage two and registration to ISO 9001 by XXXX€.

This particular goal and supporting objectives are very specific to ISO 9001 accreditation and, of course, goals and objectives will vary between pharmacy practices. By establishing goals and objectives, the practice is clearly outlining the direction of travel.

Now consider what initiatives will need to be completed to achieve the objective, which in turn supports the overall goal. This ensures that you understand what resources will be required when you upgrade your quality approach.

Do you have a quality policy? A quality policy is a one-page document listing the practice vision, quality goals and supporting objectives, and can be displayed within the pharmacy to aid communication with employees.

Step 5: Are critical functions and processes identified?

A pharmacy practice team must ensure that it focuses on the right things. A smart team understands that a number of key activities must be leveraged to achieve a €competitive advantage€. Therefore, to ensure that the whole system works, a quality initiative cannot focus on just one area.

Vital to the system is to identify the key functional areas, activities and processes, and how they interact with each other. Only then can you suggest quality improvements within your practice.

What are the key functional areas within your pharmacy? These may include:

• Dispensing
• Patient facing activities, for example consultation room services
• Purchasing
• Employee skills and competency
• Employee management
• Physical work environment
• Technology.

Key functional areas should be supported by a number of activities or processes. For example, when a prescription is submitted for fulfilment there are a number of activities that must take place. Have you identified the key processes that support the dispensing function?

Fundamental to any quality system is managing the right processes to achieve efficiency and advantage and to deliver a quality service. When critical processes are identified, each can be assessed for gaps, bottlenecks, risks and the need for change and improvement. Focusing on critical processes and functions will underpin continuous improvement.