Crystal Clear Mark

May 2021: Applications for pharmacies to gain a unique health literacy quality mark are now open. Read more here.

The Crystal Clear mark recognises the critical role pharmacies play in helping people understand their health issues and the steps they need to take to improve their health. The mark is awarded to pharmacies where there is evidence of, and commitment to, providing a literacy friendly service. This means the pharmacy takes account of and supports people’s literacy and numeracy needs and regularly evaluates and improves its health literacy practices.

The mark has been developed by the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and NALA and is supported by Healthy Ireland. The mark is awarded for three years and it is free to apply.

To date we have awarded the quality mark to 104 pharmacies in 19 counties.

Read who has the mark

How do you become a Crystal Clear Pharmacy?

To become a Crystal Clear Pharmacy, you apply by completing an online audit consisting of 10 questions. These questions look at:

communication;
staff awareness and responding sensitively;
policies and procedures; and
evaluating and improving.

The pharmacy supplies evidence such as photographs of clear signage, examples of plain English medication labels and describe the ways that staff communicate effectively with people in a literacy friendly way.

Pharmacies who pass the audit get the Crystal Clear mark for three years and get a certificate and sticker to display in their pharmacy.

Before you start, have a look at the Guide to becoming a Crystal Clear Pharmacy.

You can start the online audit by filling in the form below. Or you can download the Crystal Clear Application Form in word here and email it to hryan@nala.ie

If you have any questions, please contact Helen Ryan in NALA on 01 412 7919 (direct) or email hryan@nala.ie.

Read the Guide

Crystal Clear Mark

Name*
Organisation name*
Email*
Phone*
1. Do staff use plain English when speaking with people?*
Give two examples
Give two examples (write in text)*
Link to advice sheet
2. Can you write a plain English medication label?*
File
Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf, Max. file size: 8 MB.
Allowed file types - jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf
File
Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf, Max. file size: 8 MB.
Allowed file types - jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf
Link to Page
3. Do you check that people understand what you have told them?*
Give two examples
Give two examples
Link to advice sheet
4. Is the layout of your pharmacy clear?*
Attach two photographs
Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf, Max. file size: 8 MB.
Allowed file types - jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf
Attach two photographs
Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf, Max. file size: 8 MB.
Allowed file types - jpg, jpeg, gif, png, pdf
Link to advice sheet
5. Are your staff aware of literacy friendly work practices?*
Give two examples
Give two examples*
Link
6. Do your staff respond sensitively to the literacy and numeracy needs of people?*
Give two examples
Give two examples*
Link
7. Do you have a literacy friendly policy?*
File
Accepted file types: pdf, docx, dot, Max. file size: 8 MB.
Allowed file types - pdf, docx, dot
Link to advice sheet
8. Do you have specific ways to help people find and use important information and instructions?*
Give two examples
Give two examples (write in text)*
Link to advice sheet
9. Do you support staff to improve their own literacy, numeracy and digital skills (if needed)*
Give an example.
10. Do you regularly evaluate and continually improve your literacy friendly service?*
Give two examples
Give two examples*
Link
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