CQC requirements for fridge monitoring

CQC Mythbusters and fridge monitoring

The Care Quality Commission’s website has a very useful section called ‘GP Mythbusters’, which aims to ‘clear up some common myths about CQC inspections of GP and out of hours services’. GP mythbuster 17: Vaccine storage and fridges in GP practices - Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk) Mythbuster 17 looks in detail at vaccine storage and fridges in GP practices, and the requirements underline just how useful RemoteM can be in automating the process of monitoring these fridges in accordance with regulations as well as providing detailed reports at inspection time.

Public Health England has a document covering guidance on ordering, storing and handling vaccines. Protocol for ordering storing and handling vaccines (publishing.service.gov.uk)

When discussing temperature monitoring for fridges, this protocol states that trained individuals should always observe the four Rs (Read Record Reset React). The person recording the temperature should do it at least once at the same time every day during the working week and record this in a standard fashion and on a standard sheet. The protocol also says that audit records of stock and temperature management must be available for inspection where required.

Even where data loggers are used, the CQC requires them to be read and recorded every day – checking only weekly or monthly means cold chain breaches could be missed.

Life in the real world

During the busy working week at the average GP practice, we all know that temperature monitoring isn’t always first on the list. And what about evenings and weekends, when fridges could go out of the approved temperature range without anyone ever being aware, compromising the effectiveness of their contents?

This is where the RemoteM fridge monitoring system comes into its own. It enables you to improve and automate the entire process, taking readings 24/7, alerting you to any malfunctions resulting in temperature fluctuations and even giving you access to detailed reports at the touch of a button.

CQC requirements also state that all measures must be taken to avoid interruption to a power supply. RemoteM will alert you as soon as the temperature begins to fall in your fridges or a power cut is detected.

Helping at CQC inspection time

During a CQC inspection ‘inspectors will expect to see evidence of maintenance of the cold chain’ and evidence of temperature logging. With RemoteM, reports can be downloaded at the touch of a button, printed and presented to the inspectors covering the timescales required.