Local Support and Interpretation of Guidance Covid-19
Local Support and Interpretation of Guidance Covid-19
Practical Advice on how to deal with the current crisis
We are very aware that the information coming out of national organisations is constantly changing and front-line staff will struggle to know how to apply it. The sections below will help you to find the key guidance and interpret it for your business. This section will be constantly updated as new guidance is issued.
Protecting the Pharmacy Team
Pharmacy Entry Point Signs
Please make sure you have the PHE Covornavirus poster displayed at all entry points to your pharmacy.
In the warmer months you may want to use an external display sign with the above poster in it and keep the door to your pharmacy open to allow fresh air to circulate. This will also help avoid the public making contact with the door handle on entry and exit.
Please refrain where possible from using vented heating and air-conditioning which could circulate the virus further within the building.
Hand washing
Follow NHS How to wash your hands guidelines, which should be carried out for 20 seconds.
Increase the frequency that all staff do so, for example you may wish to set a phone or computer alarm to remind you on an hourly basis. As the pandemic continues you may find it hard to remember to do this vital step.
Consider placing hand sanitiser if available at entry points for customer use or before signing for their script.
Cleaning arrangements
Increase cleaning of touching points such as door handles, counter tops, and shelving – particularly at shoulder and head height where contact is made most and where sneezes or coughs may land.
Remove large quantities of stock items from shelving to allow for swift cleaning.
Maintain social distancing
2 metres between patients where practicable (consider ‘staff at risk’ for example those that may be asthmatic, or consider limiting the number of people entering at the premises at any one time). Consider using barriers or screens in front of the counter, if available or use tape to mark distances on the floor.
PPE
PPE should only be used if you have a suspected case in your isolation area or if you have had to come into close contact with that individual. It should also be worn during decontamination. Guidance on how to wear and remove PPE has been given. Please follow environmental cleaning guidance given and see section 4. Post-transfer actions in the Community Pharmacy SOP.
Physical & Emotional Wellbeing
Staff will be suffering from stress, anxiety and fatigue; a major risk to the wellbeing of staff and in-turn an increased risk of dispensing errors and mistakes in their work. You may find the link to emotional and psychological survival guide useful to help maintain your teams wellbeing during this time.
Vulnerable people – at risk staff
For a full list of people who are deemed to be at risk of getting severe symptoms from the Coronavirus please click here
It is your responsibility to assess the risk to your staff and take appropriate decisions to protect them (multiple pharmacies will be given HR support by their Head Office. If this means that staff have to self-isolate and you can no longer operate your pharmacy safely for your contracted hours, please follow the information below on reducing your hours or closing your pharmacy.
School places for children of key workers
The government has announced that all front-line healthcare staff who are unable to get their children looked after at home will have access to school places. Guidance states the following:
- If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
- If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
- Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
- Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
- Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.
If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision. This includes pharmacy staff. Please click here for PSNC guidance on what to do in your pharmacy.
Reducing your hours or closing your pharmacy
March 22, 2020
Opening hours flexibility
Specifically:
• If under significant pressure, at the discretion of the responsible pharmacist, pharmacies may close their doors to the public for up to 2.5 hours a day, including lunch.
• Community pharmacies are expected to be open to the public between 10am-12 noon and 2pm-4pm as a minimum (if these are contracted core or supplementary hours).
• Similarly, 100 hours pharmacies should be open from 10am–12pm and 2pm–6pm as a minimum.
A sign on the door must give information about how to contact the pharmacy if urgent help is needed.
Temporary closures
NHSE&I has also stated that for temporary closures (not closed-door working), for instance where not enough staff are available to work, NHSE&I must be informed immediately. The pharmacy NHS 111 Directory of Services (DoS) profile must be updated, as must the NHS Website.
NHSE&I is encouraging cooperation between community pharmacies and GP practices in primary care networks, to deliver the best care, and protect and maximise the capabilities of staff across practices and pharmacies.
NHSE&I also encourages local pharmacies to work to maintain continuity of services in the event of temporary closures through ‘buddy’ arrangements, stating:
Particular thought should be given to patients receiving services such as supervised consumption or monitored dosage systems. Consideration can be given to providing daily doses rather than supervised consumption on an individual patient risk assessed basis.
The new guidance from NHSE&I is included in the pharmacy SOP updated today. Read the SOP
Pharmacy response
PSNC, CCA, NPA and AIM welcome the revised SOP and the flexibility that this gives to contractors.
The changes should help to ensure that pharmacies can stay open to the public, and that staff can work safely and are not fatigued by the current high workload and pressures associated with the COVID-19 outbreak. Pharmacy contractors are encouraged to make use of the provisions to support their staff.
The pharmacy organisations are working together on detailed guidance for contractors to help them to implement this new SOP.
We would remind you of the contractual requirement to notify NHSE&I of any closures or reduction in opening hours immediately. As well as this being a contractual requirement, this is needed to facilitate the mapping of the impact of the COVID-19 situation and the wider coordination of support.
The relevant forms for notification to NHSE&I can be found here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/primary-care/pharmacy/app-forms/
Financial support for your business
The NPA has produce some useful summaries and links that highlight the business support that is available to community pharmacies during Covid-19
Financial Measures Available to Community Pharmacy during COVID-19
HMRC Helpline for deferral of payments