PHARMACIES will be able to keep their doors open during the Coronavirus lockdown after a £300million cash injection from the Government.
The funding will support pharmacies across England and will help them provide critical services to protect community health, including supplying medicines and providing medical advice to patients, during a period of unprecedented demand.
Last Wednesday (April 1) saw £200million paid to pharmacy contractors, alongside their normal monthly payments from the NHS Business Services Authority and a further £100million will be allocated on May 1
In addition to the funding, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has reduced the number of services community pharmacies are required to deliver to allow them to prioritise the most important tasks, but they will still continue to receive their full NHS funding.
During this period, pharmacies won’t be required to pilot new services or carry out non-critical administrative tasks. DHSC is also working to increase the workforce available, with calls to pharmacy professionals who have recently retired to return.
Evesham’s MP Nigel Huddleston welcomed the cash boost and said community pharmacies carry out critical work to protect the health of the public and support the wider NHS.
“Coronavirus has placed an enormous pressure on our community pharmacies, which is why I am pleased the Government is giving them a £300million cash boost to help support the vital role they play as we deal with this disease,” he said.
“Whilst businesses and venues have been instructed to remain closed – pharmacies are an important exception to this, they can remain open and continue to operate as normally as possible.”
“For people who are shielding or self-isolating, pharmacies can deliver prescriptions to their door, so everyone can get the medicine they need without breaching social distancing guidelines,” he added
