Managing Temporary, Short-term Pharmacy Closures

Occasionally a pharmacy may need to close temporarily. This can occur for reasons such as severe weather incidents, issues affecting safety or operability at the premises, or because of lack of required staffing. Here we provide information on steps to take if your pharmacy is affected.

Temporary Short-term Pharmacy Closures

In the case of a temporary closure of a pharmacy, pharmacists must ensure that arrangements are in place to facilitate the continuity of patients’ care, in accordance with their obligations under the statutory Code of Conduct for pharmacists. 

Pharmacies should have an SOP in place covering the management of emergency situations, such as loss of electricity/power.

Please find below some steps to be considered. Please note that this list is non exhaustive and should be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific pharmacy, the services offered and the circumstances surrounding the closure. Those in governance roles (the pharmacy owner, superintendent pharmacist, and supervising pharmacist) should all be involved in decision making and responsibilities associated with the closure.

  1. Notify the PSI by emailing rpbreg@psi.ie, as well as other relevant bodies such as the HSE of the intended closure.
  2. Inform staff of the closure and any specific responsibilities during this closure period.
  3. Inform local prescribers and other healthcare professionals of the pharmacy closure and provide contact details of the pharmacist in case of emergencies or urgent queries.
  4. Where possible, notify patients in advance, providing details of alternative pharmacies if available, and/or steps that can be taken to minimise the impact of the closure. Particular consideration should be given to the arrangements for ensuring that the needs of the most vulnerable patients are facilitated in identifying an alternative source of medication supply and continuing care.
  5. Display clear signage at the premises with closure details and alternative pharmacy service options. Any notices should, at a minimum, include the date the pharmacy will be closing, expected reopening date, details of where patients can get information on other pharmacies in the local area, details of the systems in place to manage pharmacy records, and contact details of the relevant pharmacist(s) with whom patients can discuss any queries relating to records or their continuing care, e.g. the obtaining of consent for the transfer of such records to another pharmacy, if needed.

Additionally, it is important that extra care and attention be given to refrigerated medicines to ensure they are stored in accordance with the requirements of any marketing authorisation to ensure ongoing safety and efficacy.