Module 2

Commodity Management:
Introduction To Concepts

UNIT 3:
Standard operating procedures
(SOPs)

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 Unit Specific Objectives
At the end of this unit the participants will be able to:

• Describe Standard Operating Procedures

• State the Benefits of Standard Operating
Procedures
• Explain the importance of Standard Operating
Procedures in commodity management
• Discuss key steps for developing Standard
Operating Procedures
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 What is a Standard Operating
Procedure ?
A Standard Operating Procedure is a set
of

• written instructions
• that document routine or repetitive
activity followed by an institution

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 What do Standard Operating
Procedures address?
Usually, SOPs answer the questions:

• What is the activity being performed?

• Who performs this activity?
• What resources/tools are used to do it?
• Where is it carried out?
• How is it done?
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 What are the Benefits of SOPs (1)
• Help to ensure the quality and consistency of the
service

• Serve as useful tools for training new members of

staff since they provide detailed work instructions

• Minimizes miscommunication

• Avoid role confusion and gaps over who does what

and when-clarifies roles

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 What are the Benefits of SOPs (2)
• SOPs are also a historical record that can be used to
recreate activities if no other references are available

• SOPs are frequently used as checklists by supervisors

• Provide standard for monitoring and supervision to

promote accountability

• A valid SOP therefore results in:

– reduced workload effort, Improved comparability, credibility
and even legal defensibility
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 Why are SOPs Important for
Commodities?

• Drugs commodities are expensive

• There are insufficient numbers of qualified

staff

• There is high staff turnover

• To delegate responsibility to staff who may

not have receivedMODULE2
full training
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 Why are SOPs Important for
Commodities?
• Inherent weak pharmaceutical management
systems in our settings.
• Mismanagement of commodities has
negative financial and treatment-outcome
implications
• To help monitor performance of commodity
management systems

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 Categories of Commodity SOPS

Technical SOPs

• Drug centered ( focus on commodities)

- includes SOPs for: requesting, receiving, storage,
issuing and disposal of drugs and medical supplies
• Patient centered ( focus on medication use)
- includes SOPs for: monitoring of prescription,
dispensing, medication counseling, medication error
reporting, ADR monitoring and reporting

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 Categories of Commodity SOPS
Management/Monitoring SOPs

• Performance ( focus on system and

program performance)
- includes SOPs for: monthly activity
reporting, internal audit, supervision

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 The Life Cycle of SOPs: Phases

SOP
SOP Development
Needs Assessment
Process

M&E

SOP Implementation
& Maintenance

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 SOP Needs Assessment
Why Needs Assessment
• Evaluate existing systems to determine what is
happening/not happening

• Evaluate existing systems to understand who does what

• Helps identify gaps in practices and resources

• Will inform prioritization of SOPs & target setting

• Provides sound methodology & documentation for

advocating for the need to develop SOPs-particularly
authorities
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 SOP Needs Assessment
What to Assess
• Routine, repetitive activities

• Activities being undertaken

– Inventory management e.g. ordering, receiving, storage,
distribution
– Patient care procedures e.g. dispensing, counseling
– Medication use procedures e.g. medication errors, ADR
monitoring
– Performance e.g. activity reports, internal audits

• Responsible persons assigned to various tasks

• Types of documentation/tools available for procedures e.g.

forms/registers/checklists
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 SOP Development Process
Take the following into Account:
• Critical for successful implementation of SOPs

• Must be an inclusive process involving everyone

with an interest in the procedure

• Positive sense of teamwork arises when managers

and workers work together towards a common goal

• Human nature dictates that people support what

they help create MODULE2 UNIT 3 14
 Steps in Developing SOPs
1. Create a team & assign responsibilities
– inclusive of workers, managers etc
2. Have a goal
– What do you want to achieve
– What service do you need to offer
– Prioritize SOPS to develop
3. Outline the Procedure
-could be graphical or detailed list of steps in order of how
they are done
-For each step list forms/records/registers required
-Adapt/modify or develop any forms/records if necessary
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 Steps in Developing SOPs
4. Write the First Draft
-decide what format to use (flow chart or written)
-goal is to create a simple and useful document
5. Internal Review
-provide everyone who performs the procedure with copy of
draft SOP for review
-Focus on accuracy, ease of understanding, and inclusion of
all major steps,
6. External Review
-share draft with other departments or experts
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 Steps in Developing SOPs
7. Test the SOP
(to observe gaps, unnecessary steps)
• Have someone test by performing each step as described while
somebody observes
• Have someone who does not perform the procedure follow the
SOP

8. Edit and Get Approval

• Incorporate changes
• Present draft document for approval from institution/department
head

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 Implementation & Monitoring
of SOPs
Implementation

1.Training
• To ensure everybody follows the procedure as outlined
• Ensure everybody has the same interpretation

2. Publication & dissemination

• print and post SOP in appropriate locations
• have a master SOP file
• include SOPs in employee handbook etc

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 Implementation & Monitoring
of SOPs
Monitoring
1. Need to monitor if the SOP is being used
• Periodic review staff activities as part of support supervision

2. Need to review the SOP

• SOPs must be current, relevant and guided by good practices
• To determine if they are even needed
• Include a timetable for review in each SOP

3. Need to evaluate if SOP is contributing to

improved service delivery
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 Language of an SOP
• Understandable to everyone who uses them

• Write steps as short direct sentences

• Write steps as imperative sentences-are in the

form of a command (the term “You” should not be
used but implied)

• Use acronyms and abbreviations sparingly

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 Level of Detail: A balancing Act
• Should include all essential steps that must be performed
the same way by everyone

• Omitting essential steps may lead to significant

performance variation or confusion

• Not so detailed that they are cumbersome and impractical

for everyday use

• Excessive detail may cause resentment-micromanagement

• Sufficient detail so that someone with little experience can

still perform the procedure unsupervised
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 Layout of SOPs (1)
Not one layout is better than another but should
include:

1.The title of the task

2.The objective of the SOP

3.The responsible staff

4.The records and forms required .

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 Layout of SOPs (2)
5. When the task should be performed

6. How the task should be performed including how

forms should be filled in

7. How/where records used should be stored and

where forms filled should be distributed

8. References-could be other SOPs to refer to or a

checklist or a guideline
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 Goal is to create a document that is
easy to understand, easy to follow and
is helpful

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