Consider the following case study with regard to risk:

A pharmacist is considering running a flu vaccination service in his pharmacy via a private PDG provided by a buying group in association with a private medical agency. In practical terms, he has decided that both he and a key member of the pharmacy team will provide the service.

He goes through his own risk assessment process and identifies the following risks:

• Needle stick injury
• Anaphylactic shock in patients
• Failure to follow protocols
• Failure to store vaccines properly
• Failure to recruit sufficient customers to cover the set-up costs.

How to reduce risk

The pharmacist identifies that good training, including for the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis, and clear protocols will reduce these risks generally. After carefully reviewing the materials provided by the buying group he feels that these provide sufficient support.

He also reviews the business case for providing the service and realises that the risk of making a loss can be averted by securing contracts with local businesses to provide vaccinations for their staff. He decides on a two-pronged marketing approach: to businesses and to individuals.

Put a plan in place

The pharmacist discusses the risk assessment with his key member of staff and then writes up his risk register to keep records of the identified risks, how he aims to reduce them and when he intends to review them. The pharmacy team set about marketing and offering their new service with the confidence that they have thought through the possible risks and are providing a safe and high-quality service for customers and patients.

Once risks have been identified and quantified, the next important stage is to identify how the risk can be reduced or the consequences mitigated.

An important mitigation of the consequences of adverse event is insurance. It is a professional requirement that pharmacies are covered by adequate professional indemnity insurance and a legal requirement that businesses have public liability cover and employers’ liability cover. To choose the level of cover required, thoroughly review the risks and the potential adverse events that you need to account for.