Managing risks associated with dispensing prescriptions for patients attending a NHS hot site

Pharmacy type

Community

Pharmacy context

​COVID-19

Relevant standards

• 1.1 - The risks associated with providing pharmacy services are identified and managed

Why this is notable practice

The pharmacy is working with the local hot site to ensure that patients attending the hot site, suspected to have COVID-19, can receive their medicine safely. It is doing this in a way which minimises the risk of cross infection for non COVID-19 people attending the pharmacy.

How the pharmacy did this

The pharmacy had worked with the local Primary Care Network (PCN) hot site to produce a working algorithm to ensure patients attending the hot site were able to get medicine over the Easter bank holiday weekend. And to ensure they did not come into contact with other people attending the pharmacy. The pharmacist had agreed to accept telephone requests from the prescriber in accordance with its emergency supply procedures.

After being informed the prescription was ready, a ‘runner’ wearing clean personal protective equipment (PPE) went to the pharmacy to collect the medicine. The bag of assembled medicine(s) was placed at a safe distance from a member of pharmacy staff at the door. The runner then delivered it or transferred it to the patient by leaving it at a safe distance for them to pick up. The hot site placed all original prescriptions for that day in individual plastic bags. They were all taken to the pharmacy at the same time and within 72 hours, by a runner. The hot site was working on setting up an electronic transfer of prescription system for the next bank holiday weekend.

What difference this made to patients

Patients with suspected COVID-19 are able to get urgent medicine promptly without posing a risk of transferring infection. And the pharmacy can remain open to serve other members of the public.