We need to be as good as the airlines

摘要

FOLLOWING the Society's symposium on the responsible pharmacist last month ("Regulation, professionalism and developing a just culture"), at which particpants heard from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), I looked again at standard operating procedures in pharmacy. I asked myself whether our SOPs were fit for purpose and, generally. I thought that they were not. They are often imposed top down, with little input from those who work to them. They may be changed if there is a critical incident, but that is only for the pharmacy or chain concerned, and this learning and improvement is not disseminated throughout the profession.