Reading List

A curated Reading List to support and extend learning from Personal Safety in Patient-Facing Pharmacy Practice.

This course draws primarily on Great Britain HSE and GPhC guidance. Scotland and Wales follow the same broad legal and regulatory framework, though employer and NHS arrangements may differ locally. Northern Ireland readers should apply HSENI and PSNI requirements alongside the principles in this course. England-specific NHS material is labelled below.

1. Core Pharmacy Standards

• GPhC - Standards for pharmacy professionals
  The core Great Britain standards for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, covering person-centred care, communication, professional judgement, confidentiality, speaking up, and leadership. Useful for understanding how personal safety relates to safe care and professional behaviour.
  https://assets.pharmacyregulation.org/files/standards_for_pharmacy_professionals_may_2017_0.pdf

• GPhC - Standards for registered pharmacies
  Great Britain premises and service standards relevant to safe management, competent staff, privacy, dignity, safeguarding, and delivering services in an appropriate environment.
  https://inspections.pharmacyregulation.org/standards

2. Core Violence and Personal-Safety Guidance

• HSE - Violence and aggression at work: guidance for employers
  A gateway document covering the law, risk assessment, control measures, reporting, and post-incident support. A practical starting point for the safety framework behind this course.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/employer/index.htm

• HSE - Control measures to prevent violence and aggression
  Guidance on workplace design, staffing, signage, de-escalation, and training. Reminds employers that violence-prevention training should reach everyone at risk, including cleaning and temporary staff.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/employer/controls-to-prevent.htm

• HSE - Advice for workers on violence in the workplace
  A concise worker-facing summary of employer duties, practical worker actions, and the importance of reporting.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/worker/index.htm

• HSE - Managing the risk of violence and aggression in health services
  Relevant for consultation and treatment rooms, home visits, information sharing, alarms, and post-incident debrief. Many recommendations apply directly to pharmacy practice.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/violence/do.htm

3. Lone Encounters, Journeys, and Learning After Incidents

• HSE - Protecting lone workers: How to manage the risks of working alone
  Applies where staff work alone in consultation rooms, make deliveries, or are away from the pharmacy. Covers violence, wellbeing, training, and supervision.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.htm

• HSE - Reporting and learning from incidents
  Guidance on recording incidents, supporting affected staff, police reporting, and using near misses and abusive behaviour to improve services.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/employer/reporting-learning-from-incidents.htm

• HSE - Driving and riding safely for work
  Relevant for pharmacies that use delivery drivers or other staff who travel. Includes assessing violence and aggression risks for drivers and riders.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/employer/make-sure-drivers-riders-are-safe.htm

4. England and Northern Ireland Signposting

• NHS England - Violence prevention and reduction standard
  An England-specific NHS resource for organisations delivering NHS-funded services. Relevant where pharmacies work within or closely with NHS systems that use formal violence-prevention plans and governance.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/violence-prevention-and-reduction-standard/

• HSENI - Protecting your workers from violence and aggression
  The Northern Ireland guide to violence-at-work guidance, including risk assessment, controls, reporting, and worker support.
  https://www.hseni.gov.uk/articles/protecting-your-workers-violence-and-aggression

• PSNI - The Code, Standards and Guidance
  The main Northern Ireland pharmacy standards gateway, for those who need the local professional framework alongside HSENI safety guidance.
  https://psni.org.uk/the-code-standards-and-guidance/

• PSNI - Standards for Registered Pharmacy Premises 2018
  Relevant for Northern Ireland pharmacy owners and teams considering safe working environments, privacy, dignity, security, and facilities for patient care.
  https://psni.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Council-Premises-Standards-04-June-2018-Formatted.pdf

Use these readings to reinforce practical personal-safety actions in pharmacy: recognising escalation early, using safer communication and service design, protecting staff in lone or off-site situations, and ensuring incidents lead to learning and support.