Medway pharmacist Karsons in Chatham and Rochester prescribing service suspended after failings noted by General Pharmaceuticals Council regulator
12:04, 03 December 2020
updated: 15:38, 03 December 2020
A popular pharmacy has been suspended from writing its own prescriptions for patients after faults posing "a serious risk to patient safety" were found.
Inspectors from the General Pharmaceuticals Council (GPhC) visited the Karsons Pharma branch in Chatham before issuing an enforcement notice.
The regulator said "inadequate risk management and governance" was behind the reason to impose the ban on the private prescribing service until further notice.
The suspension applies to all branches of Karsons Pharmacies in the Medway Towns at its branches in Pattens Lane in Chatham, City Way in Rochester and Strood High Street.
It relates to the service where Mr Karson is able to offer medical advice to patients privately before issuing prescriptions for minor ailments such as chest infections.
The pharmacy is still dispensing prescriptions issued to patients by GPs and doctors and is able to offer over the counter advice.
Patients have come out in support of Ferride Karson, who has run the business in the Medway towns for 35 years and celebrated for his work in the community.
A petition has been launched lobbying the GPhC to reinstate Mr Karson's licence which has been signed by more than 1,000 people in under 24-hours.
It was launched by Anna Harding who said Mr Karson "has always done an amazing job" and was helpful to take medical advice from when doctors were unavailable.
Other supporters described Mr Karson as a "pillar of the community" and "much needed" for many people.
Helen Lawson wrote: "Mr Karson unfailing puts the interests of his patients first. His suspension is without doubt a much greater disservice to this community than any perceived failings flagged in the report."
Inspectors said they found "systemic weaknesses in the structure, risk management and governance of the pharmacy which presents a serious risk to patient safety".
The notice said: "The risks identified are ongoing and are in relation to the provision of the pharmacy’s prescribing service which has inadequate risk management and governance in place.
"The nature of the failings are such that conditions are required to protect the safety and wellbeing of the public.
"The pharmacy must not provide a prescribing service. This means that it must not issue any private prescriptions to any patients where these are written by any prescriber employed by, working for or on behalf of the pharmacy, or working at the pharmacy."
Exact details about the issues discovered by the watchdog have not been published but the GPhC listed four breaches of its standards.
Under governance rules, the watchdog found Karsons had not managed to identify and manage risks associated with providing pharmacy services, review and monitor safety and quality of services, maintain and keep all necessary records to safely provide pharmacy services.
Finally, inspectors felt the business had not managed or delivered its services safely and effectively under the standards on how to deliver pharmacy services.
KentOnline has contacted Karsons for comment.
