| Pharmaceutical support |
Test new equipment 1 week before relocation (eg, phones, computers), including all computer databases in the new pharmacy, using a pre-established testing procedure If possible, maintain the same phone numbers and use call transfers to keep both the old and new pharmacy lines operational during the transition period If phone numbers do change, use several different communication channels to inform stakeholders about new phone numbers Plan a larger on-call staff to support the various hospitals and nursing homes during the relocation period Ensure availability of enough pharmaceutical staff to assist clinical wards during their own relocations
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| Emergency situations |
List ‘no go’ situations (eg, emergency/disaster situations for the hospital and the pharmacy) Communicate the pharmacy’s relocation schedule to other hospital pharmacies in the area and agree on troubleshooting solutions in case of an emergency during drug transport (eg, car accident, etc) Establish a troubleshooting procedure for obtaining and distributing emergency drugs during the relocation Update hospital and pharmacy disaster plans and emergency procedures (evacuation plan, emergency exits, etc) for the new location and train teams on how to use them Prepare how to operate all key procedures in a limited mode, and train the teams how to implement and use them if necessary Prepare a list of where essential drugs (eg, coagulation factors) will be before, during and after the relocation, as well as a detailed plan for moving these drugs Maintain a stock of antidotes available at the departure site at all times and inform clinical wards about their location and accessibility Create a procedure for situations when a new or emergency treatment is needed during the periods drugs are unavailable Maintain an ‘emergency stock’ at the departure site during the relocation, until the stock in the new pharmacy is fully operational
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| Communication for clients and healthcare professionals |
Create an information sheet containing relocation dates and changes of address/phone numbers. This information is to be displayed at all pharmacy desks (including the goods reception desk). In addition, 1 month before the change of delivery location, this information must be given directly to drivers and delivery personnel Inform suppliers, clients and clinical wards of the key points relating to the relocation, for example, timing, consequences and changes, including phone numbers (eg, using a newsletter, website, oral communication, etc)
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| Internal communication for pharmacy staff |
Give a full briefing to all staff a few days before the relocation Set up an electronic logbook that can be accessed and modified by several users at the same time, containing important information and operation follow-up Plan regular meetings, such as briefings and debriefings, on each day of the relocation to plan next steps and highlight blockages and pending tasks, etc Organise communication between each pharmacy unit’s head at their departure location and head at their arrival location Use structured transmissions to communicate
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| Drug management |
Plan to make an inventory of drug stocks on departure and at arrival Move drug stocks in one go Provide adequate transport for essential medicines (refrigerated lorries, secure lorries for narcotic drugs, adequate packaging, etc) and identify the key personnel in charge Update the list of items stored in refrigerators and plan their management in case of a breakdown in the cold chain Create a procedure for transporting and restocking bulk drugs (ready to use for the automatised preparation of pillboxes for the nursing homes), including packaging, unambiguous identification of boxes and drug-identity checking before drug restocking Anticipate drug orders that should go directly to the new pharmacy to limit the need to relocate supplies Organise the filling of the dispensing robot in advance, as soon as drug orders are being received at the new pharmacy site Identify drugs in the old site according to their future storage location (eg, in the dispensing robot or not)
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| Manufacturing |
Anticipate orders for the equipment needed for the new pharmacy site, in order to limit the relocation of stock Use checklists to make inventories of all available equipment Qualify and validate the new manufacturing unit 3 weeks before the relocation List ‘no go’ situations (eg, impossibility to validate the new manufacturing unit) Keep the previous production unit operational during the relocation Make batch preparations 1 month before the move in order to avoid the relocation of quarantine batches and thus limit the risk of errors Plan the NHS unit’s weekly production of patients’ drugs in advance so as to avoid treatment interruptions in case of emergency
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| Information technology systems |
Create procedures to test all IT systems, connections and programmes before relocation Ensure backups of all files and databases before relocation Ensure that all documents and files are saved and accessible on secure servers (in case computers were exchanged)
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| Logistical support |
Test that the pharmacy team has access to the new building and clinical wards before relocation Estimate transport times between old locations and the new hospital as well as the number of trips required by the moving company, in order to establish a realistic relocation plan Estimate the time needed for packing drugs and equipment together with the moving company List each hospital pharmacy unit’s essential equipment and colour code it Clearly label all boxes, mentioning the place of departure, place of arrival (room number, etc) and content (colour coded) Check the availability of amenities at the new pharmacy and implement alternative solutions if needed (eg, find solutions for employee meals if the hospital cafeteria is not initially operational in the new building) Plan the new transport schedule for drug deliveries to all hospital wards and other clients Scan paper archives to avoid transporting them Secure on-site technical support by the manufacturer’s technicians for specialised equipment (packaging, unpacking, installation and final checks in the new pharmacy) Check the previous identification code in the ERP software’s ordering module during transition time
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| Quality systems |
Establish procedures for all key activities in advance, test them and train staff on using them Train staff about their new facilities and how to use new pharmacy equipment in their new environment (including on-site visits) Create and use departure and arrival checklists for relocation and train staff on how to use them
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| Human resources |
Nominate a single relocation manager Plan robust human resources capabilities for all key functions Clearly identify deputies Plan the relocation in detail, defining the order of departure and each person’s tasks Write a summary document for each employee on their roles, tasks and location during the move Identify key staff and their deputies for all processes to do with the relocation, and provide their contact details (planning, phone number, location, etc) Identify a staff member responsible for each pharmacy unit’s departure and arrival Prioritise important tasks to optimise human resources capacity
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| Hazardous materials |
Carefully pack hazardous drugs (double packing) and clearly identify them Create a procedure in case of a hazardous drug emergency and train staff (including delivery drivers) on how to implement it Notify the authorities about the transport of hazardous drugs or dangerous products and identify the lorries
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