Blackpool Teaching Hospitals: Enhancing document control and quality management

Introduction

Located within the main Pharmacy Department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, the Pharmacy Aseptic Unit is responsible for preparing a range of medicines, including cancer chemotherapy, for patients across Lancashire and South Cumbria. The unit’s reliance on paper-based systems made it increasingly difficult to manage essential documentation like standard operating procedures (SOPs). 

Their outdated paper-based systems had become unsustainable, highlighting the need for a more robust and streamlined document management system to maintain high standards of care and compliance.

The challenge

The Pharmacy Aseptic Unit faced significant challenges due to its reliance on paper-based systems:  

• Staff struggled to stay on top of document management, including the creation, revision, and archiving of SOPs.  
• The manual processes were prone to errors, with instances where outdated master copies were used by mistake.  
• The lack of an electronic system made it impossible to monitor trends or ensure that all SOPs were up to date and accurately followed. 

Finding the right solution

Recognizing the inefficiencies and risks associated with their existing processes, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals’ Pharmacy Aseptic Unit turned to Ideagen for a solution.  

Ideagen Quality Management offered a comprehensive electronic quality management system that would streamline document control, improve compliance, and support the unit's critical operations. 

Implementation and impact

The implementation had an immediate and transformative impact on the Pharmacy Aseptic Unit.  

• Staff quickly transitioned from cumbersome paper-based processes to a centralized electronic system.  
• The new system allowed them to create, revise, and archive all documentation electronically, including SOPs, worksheets, labels, forms, and training manuals.  
• Document review times were dramatically reduced as procedures were now passed around relevant reviewers electronically.  

This shift not only improved the efficiency of document management, but also significantly enhanced the unit's ability to manage change control effectively.