GPhC could suspend inspections due to coronavirus outbreak

Pharmacists and staff expect to work in a safe environment as well as the public, although it does not seem to receive due consideration in some quarters. Of course, some patients have English as a second or third language, so they may not comprehend the corona notice posted in the window.

We should not attempt to isolate patients with suspected symptoms short of fainting or breathing difficulties on the premises. If staff are at home with their children off school, or if ill (and self-isolating) it means pharmacists will have to assess the workplace as compromised to carry out operations.

In other words, a compromised workplace means the work will not get done with the lack of staffing. Pharmacists would have to conclude at some point that they must not sign on as the RP, or sign out until the situation changes. I think the next few weeks will see such a challenging scenario unfold.

Given the current lamentable working conditions and a public whipped into hysteria by the media, I don't anticipate too many coming back for temporary registration and the associated procedures they may need to assimilate.
 

they should all be sent to community and hospital pharmacies to help out...

 I'm surprised they wouldn't want to continue persecuting pharmacists and help out the multiples with their disciplinary hearings. This is the perfect opportunity I would have thought. 

So the wellbeing of the inspector is more important than the thousands of pharmacists and staff that will be required to continue working during these challenging times with the potential of serious risks of COVID-19 infection within the community pharmacy settings.

Most GP practices have now restricted appointments to telephone only to protect themselves and their staff.  More than worrying about just inspectors, GPhC needs to come up with ways of protecting pharmacists and the pharmacy team.

These difficult times will showcase pharmacists again in continuing to open and provide services to drug addicts to delivering elderly patient’s blister packs. At the same pharmacist should not get their hopes high for getting any recognition for their contribution.

the real question is why would they consider continuing! I assume (dangerous, I know) that all inspectors are Pharmacists, I'd have expected that if the GPHC is concerned with public safety and health they would be getting them to work to cover the inevitable sick employed Pharmacists.