Working alone on deliveries, visits, and journeys

Pharmacy lone working often occurs away from the dispensary. Delivery drivers, pharmacists making home visits, staff collecting stock, and managers travelling between sites may be alone without immediate support. HSE guidance on lone working and on driving for work are both relevant.

Before the worker leaves the pharmacy

• Plan the route and task: record the destination, what is being delivered or collected, and any known risks associated with the address, area, or timing.
• Check whether the destination is someone else's workplace: if attending a care home, clinic, office, or other employer's premises, agree local risks and control measures in advance where possible.
• Check communication arrangements: ensure the phone is charged, contact numbers are available, and there are agreed check-in or return times.
• Think about vehicle and journey safety: driving for work is work whether using a company vehicle or a personal vehicle for a work journey.
• Consider medicines and information security: do not leave medicines or documents exposed in vehicles or visible to the public.

At the destination

• Trust the surroundings: poor lighting, damaged entryways, aggressive behaviour, unsecured animals, or requests to enter unfamiliar premises all increase risk.
• Do not force the task through if the setting feels wrong: personal safety comes first.
• Use the agreed contact system: if a visit changes, takes longer than expected, or becomes unsafe, the worker should know who to call and what information to give.
• Keep boundaries clear: home delivery does not require accepting unsafe access, entering premises unnecessarily, or taking avoidable personal risk.

What managers and supervisors should review

When lone working happens away from the pharmacy, the worker needs more than a phone number. They need a planned route, check-in arrangements, permission to withdraw, and a clear procedure if the situation changes.