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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Coronavirus: Pharmacy (24 March 2020)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to help community pharmacies handle increased patient walk-ins as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Asked by:
Judith Cummins (Labour)

Answer

We have re-prioritised the services commissioned by the National Health Service and have delayed the introduction of new services and pilot programmes to maximise capacity in community pharmacy to supply medicines and provide health advice. We have also worked with the General Pharmaceutical Council to increase the workforce available.

NHS England and NHS Improvement has updated the COVID-19 standard operating procedure for community pharmacy to allow for all pharmacies to close to the public for two and half hours a day, if necessary. This will give pharmacy staff the time to focus on safely dispensing prescriptions and providing advice over the phone, together with giving them the opportunity to maintain the hygiene of pharmacies and take necessary rest breaks.


Answered by:
Jo Churchill (Conservative)
29 May 2020

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