Handling complaints well is an opportunity to turn a poor experience into a good one, and potentially maintain customer loyalty. But before coming to the practicalities, there are some professional requirements that come with the territory. 

Every pharmacy should have a standard operating procedure (SOP) for dealing with complaints. Complaints about dispensing errors should be recorded appropriately and professional guidance as well as NHS complaints procedures followed, as appropriate. 

Following the GPhC or PSNI principles should help to keep patient complaints to a minimum. When responding to a complaint, think about the situation from the patient’s point of view – they will be looking to be heard, to receive a sincere apology and to have some reassurance that it won’t happen again.