Inspections

Grading of pharmacies

Council upholds the rights of the general public to universally acceptable standards of practice in the public and private sectors by conducting different types of pharmacy inspections such as monitoring, new premises, training, follow-up and disciplinary inspections. Following an inspection, a pharmacy is graded as A, B, C or D according to the identified findings:

• Grade A: minor shortcomings
• Grade B: major shortcomings
• Grade C: critical shortcomings
• Grade D: the pharmacy was found not to be in business, or had closed or relocated without informing Council.

In line with Council objectives, the Office of the Registrar schedules inspections annually in accordance with the grading of pharmacies, which determines the frequency that a pharmacy is to be inspected.

The following pharmacy inspection cycles apply:

• Grade A – every three years
• Grade B – every two years
• Grade C – every year

All inspections will be conducted in line with the new Inspection Grading Methodology, which can be viewed here