SECURITY


everything from suggesting security steps to advising on ensuring personal safety; a subject which is increasingly pertinent to community pharmacy. more and more pharmacies are seeing staff being threatened by patients on a daily basis, so, in addition to improving security against break-ins etc, we’re also dealing with situations where pharmacists and their staff are facing abuse from patients.


‘the reason that we visit pharmacies, which request a crime prevention visit, is because no two pharmacies are alike. Some are obviously more open than others and so my colleagues and I do a site survey to create a completely bespoke report on security that it is totally individual to that pharmacy.


‘Patients expect today’s community pharmacist to be totally accessible to them and so, for that reason, we often suggest steps such as a raised counter, which makes it difficult for patients to climb over to attack a pharmacy staff member right through to panic buttons which cause a screen to come down; thereby keeping the pharmacy staff member safe. We want pharmacists to know that this service is available to them simply by calling 101 and asking for the crime Prevention officer for their particular area.’


one pharmacist who used this service was Stephen Edgar from dunluce Pharmacy on the Lisburn road in belfast. dunluce Pharmacy is one of the few community pharmacies in the province to not be situated at street level with a shop window.


Instead, the pharmacy is based on the first floor of the health centre. the problem is that the front door of the pharmacy is right beside the entrance to the belfast trust’s Substitute Prescribing team.


In 2014, dunluce Pharmacy was broken into three times in a matter of weeks. ‘on the first occasion,’ says Stephen Edgar, ‘they waited in the disabled toilet until we had gone and then broke in and stripped all of the pregablin in the shop.


‘the second time – a week or two later – they did the same thing except that this time they smashed through the doors. on that occasion they got much less because, after the first occasion, we had really tried to seal everything away.


‘on the third occasion they just got through the door but didn’t get anything. It was very frustrating. Initially we just kept replacing the glass but, after the third time, we knew we had to look at the pharmacy's security issues.


'at that point I decided to go to the Pharmaceutical Society of northern Ireland to ask for advice and they referred me to robert.


‘he then came out and did a security review of the pharmacy – not just from a structural point of view, but also advised us on how the staff should deal with potentially difficult patients.


‘robert really guided us as to what to do for issues such as evidence gathering in the light of another break-in. he gave us, for example, a practical, on-the-ground approach to hardware, such as whether or not we needed shutters and, if so, which type we should get; about the type of glass we should have in the doors; about the nature of the door locks that we needed.


‘he also instructed us about cctv and about the optimum position for it (you need, for example, to be able to see a specific percentage of a person for identification purposes).


‘robert looked at the functionality of the building in general and of the pharmacy in particular. Some of the advice was general but the majority was bespoke to the pharmacy.


'robert also advised us on personal security such as making sure no one ever walked in or out of the pharmacy alone in the mornings or evenings.


‘the cPo visit was extremely beneficial for the pharmacy and, following robert’s visit and subsequent report, we installed a shutter and cctv. thankfully, since then, we haven’t had any more experiences.


‘Security is always going to be an issue for pharmacies. We’re renowned for being ‘easily accessible’ and patient facing but that comes at a price. Security is all about striking a balance between making ourselves accessible and keeping ourselves and our staff safe.’


robErt mcmUrran'S SEcUrItY tIPS:


Pharmacy security: a safe and secure physical environment is the first line of defence in pharmacy security. basic security systems in pharmacies that guard against physical loss of controlled substances and prevent theft by employees include safes and locked cabinets, camera systems and alarms.


Have a panic button: In the event of a robbery, pharmacists and staff should remain calm and comply with the robber’s demands when confronted.


Install CCTV cameras: visible, eye-level bS En 50132 complaint cctv cameras, as opposed to those mounted above head-height can help obtain a better picture of the robber’s face and act as a visual deterrent to would-be thieves.


Set height markers: Install height markers at the doors of your store and the pharmacy counter. not only can they help you to provide police with a height estimate if a robbery does take place, but they can also act as a visual deterrent to potential thieves.


Rule setting: no hoods = no service. Implement a store policy regarding headwear which could potentially disguise a person’s appearance and install signage supporting this policy.


Lock up drugs at night and ensure there is adequate lighting: drugs should be locked up at night in a safe or held in reinforced security cabinets /rooms and adequate security lighting should be installed to deter burglars.


Protect your windows and doors: approximately half of pharmacy break-ins involve the perpetrator entering through the front of the store. Physical security features for windows, doors and roller shutters complaint to LPS 1175 security standard may make it harder for a burglar to enter into the pharmacy.


Have a good alarm system: Ensure a bS En 50131 compliant alarm system has been installed. the system should cover all areas of the store.


Greet your customers: a simple greeting of customers as they enter the pharmacy could discourage a potential criminal. Showing them attention could scare off as they are hoping to go undetected.


If a robbery does take place additional things to consider:-


1. Cooperate fully. as previously mentioned, resist the urge to be a hero. a few stolen drugs aren’t worth your life, that of a fellow employee or customer.


2. Be a good witness.Watch the robber and what they touch, come into contact with or move. Is there an accomplice? after they leave and it is safe, quickly and independently note on paper the description of the robbery suspect(s) and the incident for the police.


3. If a weapon is used, note the type and colour. If a note is used to make robbery demands, keep it for police.


4. Stay as calm as possible. reassure the robber that you will not resist and will comply with demands.


5. If possible, note the direction of escape, any vehicle description and registration number for police. If the robber escapes on foot, note the direction and initial route of travel - but do not follow them. check your employer policy and challenge alternative directives.


6. Lock the building down after the event – do not let anyone else leave or enter and call police on 999.


7. Preserve any evidence – do not touch anything the robber may have touched / come into contact with.


8. Wait for police and cooperate fully. PharmacY In focUS - 9


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