During the pandemic, essential services had to be kept open. The most important services being community pharmacies had to implement specific guidance plans and work on best practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Pharmacies had to ensure that both the patient and staff adhere to safety standards. Their duty has been doubled apart from the usual counseling, providing information but delivering the medicines to patients and local communities. The pharmaceutical drug delivery in Liverpool has taken up several measures to ensure that patients get their medications without hassles.

The panic buying of essential medicines has put added pressure on the pharmacy teams and the stocks. But they have now adapted to the take on the unprecedented demand and provide frontline service as required.

The measures that are taken to keep safety paramount are:

● We make sure that social distancing is maintained at all times.

● All our staff is regularly tested.

● Putting in place a contingency plan if there is an infection in the pharmacy, we inform and ensure that those patients refer to the neighboring pharmacy.

● Working in shifts prevents over exhaustion and helps the team cope with the surging demand for supplying medication.

● Staff who have comorbidities are prevented from direct contact with patients and given other tasks in the pharmacy.

● The staff have all been given personal protective equipment

● Making use of electronic prescriptions to prevent contact with any contamination

● There is an adjustment made for the opening and closing hours so that the time wasted for letting one customer at a time is made up, and we can cater to most people.

● We are going all out, ensuring adequate stock to cope with the demand due to the pandemic by installing software that makes a full audit trail. We can also ensure checking supplies are reaching the right person as manual signatures can’t be possible.

● Emphasis on hygiene and infection control measures are put in place to keep their hands clean but wear washed uniforms or clothes to prevent the spread. It includes not wearing wristwatches and jewelry.

● We make sure that the pharmacy is sanitized frequently.

● The pharmaceutical drug delivery in Liverpool checks in on the patient to know whether the patient belongs to the high-risk group.

● Gloves and wipes are mandatory during delivery.

● We also are delivering non-medical goods for vulnerable patients, which includes toilet roll, soap, etc.

● Delivery personnel is trained on how to deliver during the pandemic by ensuring no contact drop-off service.

● We make sure to get permission to deliver by calling up and making sure of the timings for the delivery to be made.

We have made many such measures to ensure the timely delivery of medications so that vulnerable patients get access without any issues.