Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Controlled drug complacency is dangerous

Despite the UK having robust measures in place to protect and monitor the supply of controlled drugs, reporting of incidents must improve.…

Pharmacist prescribing increases by 55% in one year, says healthcare regulator

Pharmacist prescribing increased by 55% in 2018/2019, according to a Care Quality Commission report which called for greater use of pharmacists in primary care networks.…

CQC registers first standalone medical cannabis clinic

The Sapphire Medical Clinic has become the first dedicated medical cannabis clinic in the UK to be registered by the Care Quality Commission. …

Moratorium on online dispensing of opioids is required

An undercover investigation carried out by The Times is further proof that online pharmacies should be prohibited from prescribing and dispensing opioid medicines until they can prove they are safe.…

Pharmacist prescribing of controlled drugs increases by 50% in a year

Pharmacist prescribing of controlled drug items has increased by more than 50% in the year between 2017 and 2018, the Care Quality Commission has found.…

Most patients with hospital discharge delays blame medicines wait

Nearly three in four patients who were delayed on discharge from hospital said it was because they had to wait for medicines, a Care Quality Commission survey has found.…

Pharmacists should work across health and social care to improve medicines safety, CQC says

All health and social care providers should have pharmacy staff on their team to improve medicines safety, according to a report by the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and social care in England.…

GPhC would back CQC move to take on regulation of pharmacist-run online services

Exclusive: The General Pharmaceutical Council has said it would be “fully supportive” of the Care Quality Commission taking on the regulation of pharmacist-run online services outside of a registered pharmacy.…

Pharmacist involvement in NHS services ‘significantly’ improves medicines safety

Involving a pharmacist in a health and social care service “significantly” improves its medicines safety, an upcoming Care Quality Commission report is expected to say.…

Pharmacy inspections: we need carrots as well as sticks

Well-run pharmacies have nothing to fear as the General Pharmaceutical Council develops a tougher stance on inspections. But the regulator must prove that changes to its regime will drive continuous improvement.…