Hospital pharmacy, clinics and GP practices
Every vaccine and medicine fridge at 2 to 8 °C, and the record to prove it
The Green Book and NHS pharmacy guidance expect vaccines and medicines kept at 2 to 8 °C, with readings recorded and excursions acted on. We monitor each fridge continuously and alarm a person before stock is lost, with 3,900+ assets monitored across 77 NHS sites.
- Continuous readings, not one check a day
- Alarms that reach a person out of hours
- Traceable or UKAS calibration for every sensor we supply (UKAS accredited calibration laboratory No. 10723 for temperature)
5.1°C
What inspectors ask you
The guidance your fridges are checked against
- Green Book ch. 3
Vaccine storage
Vaccines kept at 2 to 8 °C in a fridge made for the purpose, temperatures recorded each working day, and a plan for when they go out of range.
Read the guide - UKHSA protocol
Ordering, storing and handling vaccines
Named people responsible for the cold chain, and any break reported and assessed before stock is used.
- SPS guidance
Storing medicines in a fridge
Current, minimum and maximum temperatures recorded daily and the thermometer reset, with action when a reading is outside 2 to 8 °C.
- Reg 12
CQC: safe management of medicines
Inspectors check that medicines, including vaccines, are stored at the right temperature and that records show it.
The Green Book in practice
Between 2 and 8 °C, and able to prove it
Alarm at 23:40 on Saturday, fridge door closed, recorded with the time it was out of range.
- Green Book storage range, 2 to 8 °C
- Alarm limits inside it, so you act before stock is at risk
What we monitor
From the dispensary to the clinic fridge
Vaccine fridges
Clinic, GP and occupational health fridges, each with 2 to 8 °C limits and its own alarm route.
Pharmacy fridges and cold rooms
Dispensary and stock fridges, cold rooms and aseptic unit stores, on one record for the chief pharmacist.
Ward drug fridges
Every ward fridge in view, so pharmacy sees a failing unit before a nurse finds warm stock.
Door contacts
Where a door left open is the usual cause, a contact on the door tells you before the temperature moves.
Services for this sector
One team for monitoring, mapping, calibration and support
Temperature monitoring
Wireless sensors, alarms that reach a person and an audit trail of who acted.
Explore the serviceUKAS calibration
Temperature calibration in our UKAS accredited calibration laboratory No. 10723, or on your site.
Explore the serviceInstallation and support
Design, installation, training and engineer cover from one UK team.
Explore the serviceService agreements
What each tier covers and how fast we respond, in plain words.
Explore the service
Free checklist
MHRA GDP and Green Book temperature checklist
One page on what the Green Book and GDP expect for vaccine and medicine storage, and what to record during an excursion.
Questions
What people in your sector ask us
Do we still need to record the fridge temperature by hand?
The Green Book asks for readings recorded each working day. Keep the daily reading each working day, as the Green Book asks and CQC expects in GP practices; continuous monitoring adds the nights and weekends a manual check misses. Agree in writing which record is the original.
What happens when a vaccine fridge goes out of range?
The alarm goes to the person you name, the readings show how long and how far it went, and the record holds what they did, ready for the cold chain report to UKHSA or the manufacturer. See temperature excursions.
Does our hospital pharmacy fall under GDP?
If it holds a wholesale dealer's authorisation, yes, and the MHRA will expect mapping, monitoring and calibration to GDP. See MHRA GDP.
Are the sensors calibrated?
Calibration for every sensor we supply: traceable to national standards as standard, or UKAS accredited where you need it (temperature in our own UKAS accredited calibration laboratory No. 10723; other parameters through accredited partners).
Sources
- UKHSA, The Green Book, chapter 3: Storage, distribution and disposal of vaccines
- UKHSA: Protocol for ordering, storing and handling vaccines
- NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service: Using a refrigerator or freezer to store medicines
- CQC: GP mythbusters (includes vaccine storage)
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, regulation 12 (safe care and treatment)
20-minute compliance check
Could you show the CQC a year of fridge records today?
In 20 minutes we go through your fridges, alarms, records and excursion process with you. You get the gaps in writing. No product tour.