Tamiflu Stockholding 2020-24

Please can you take  a moment to refresh your knowledge of the arrangements in place across Cheshire and Merseyside for access to antivirals (Tamiflu).

Where a supply of Tamiflu is required for Flu prophylaxis or treatment, the following arrangements are in place across Cheshire and Merseyside.

For “in season” prescribers should use FP10s to facilitate the supply. It is recommended that the first point of contact should be the pharmacy who normally would provide medication supply to the facility (in the case of a care home / residential setting) or the patients regular pharmacy (for an individual not linked to a residential setting).

In the majority of cases any local pharmacy should be able to get supplies of antiviral medication to supply against prescriptions presented to them, (most Pharmacies have 2 deliveries a day so even for larger quantities most pharmacies will be able to obtain stock within 12 hours.

For situations where this is not possible (e.g. weekends or Bank holidays) – NHS England has commissioned a number of pharmacies to hold stocks of antivirals for supply against FP10s with courier arrangements to transport medicines to care home(s) if needed. Each of the pharmacies has been commissioned to deliver this service across the whole NHS England Cheshire and Merseyside footprint. These stockholding pharmacies can be accessed if the usual local pharmacy cannot supply the required antivirals within the required timeline:

“In season” is denoted by the issuing of the authority for antivirals to be prescribed under the NHS as directed by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) each year.

In cases of Flu “out of season” prescribers should issue a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) for each patient and access supply against this direction via the Antiviral Stockholder Pharmacies as listed below:

Medication will be requested by a prescriber against via a supply of NHS (FP10) prescriptions, during flu seasons. The prescriber should check with the pharmacy before issuing the prescriptions and sending via the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). If the pharmacy being used is not the usual dispensing pharmacy, the prescriber may need to use a “one off nomination” process (the information provided by EMIS is attached as an Appendix) to ensure the prescription is sent to the required pharmacy.

If the prescriber cannot send the prescriptions by EPS and needs to write a paper FP10 (for example if the provider is not the patient’s registered GP and/or there is a technical problem with sending via EPS), the prescriber will need to make a request for an emergency supply and make arrangements for the pharmacy to receive the prescriptions within 72 hours of issue. Pharmacies no longer accept copies of prescriptions sent by fax so the prescriber needs to supply the following information either verbally or by NHS mail:

1. the name, quantity and, where appropriate, the pharmaceutical form and strength;
2. the name and address of the practitioner requesting the emergency supply;
3. the name and address of the patient;
4. the date on the prescription.

A scanned copy (or photograph) of each prescription is recommended as a practical means of sending the required information to the pharmacy by NHS mail.

A Patient Specific Direction (PSD) is a written instruction, signed by a doctor, dentist, or non-medical prescriber for medicines to be supplied and/or administered to a named patient after the prescriber has assessed the patient on an individual basis.

The Antiviral Stockholding Pharmacies are open 365 days of the year including all bank and statutory holidays. Their opening times will be highlighted on the Pharmacy Rota Arrangements shared with all interested parties including the CCGs, DoS, Urgent Care etc.

We hope this helps clarify the arrangements with the pharmacies.

We have attached 2021-2024 FINAL Enhanced Service SLA Antiviral Stockholding and Supply for information.