COVID-19 risk assessment for staff – Urgent Action Required
Action: Community Pharmacy contractors are being asked to declare their progress in performing COVID-19 risk assessments for staff by completing the NHSBSA snap survey which has been sent to you with a unique link via your NHSmail account. The next window to declare your progress will be starting at 9am on 24th July to 11.59pm on 31st July.
Action: Please click the link here to access the Risk assessment tools that you can use. Contractors can use the any of the risk assessment tools that are available.
BAME Risk Assessment tool for CP – now published
GMLPC, Bolton LPC and the CPPB have worked in partnership with the GMHSCP to develop a BAME risk assessment tool in Greater Manchester. The letter can be found here and the GMCA BAME risk assessment tool can be found here
The recently published Public Health England report confirms that people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Therefore, community pharmacy teams should continue to risk assess all staff, particularly those who may be at increased risk. This includes BAME staff, older colleagues, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions, in both patient facing and non-patient facing settings
NHSBSA declaration – declaration of progress for Completion of COVID-19 Risk assessments for Pharmacy staff
Community pharmacy contractors are being asked to declare their progress on performing COVID-19 risk assessments for their staff.
At the end of June, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) requested that individual risk assessments for at least staff in at-risk group (including Black, Asian and Minority Ethic (BAME) staff) should be completed within a month (see the PSNC news article here). They have now authorised the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) to collect information about the progress of community pharmacy contractors over the course of July; similar information is also being requested from the other primary care contractors.
There will be two windows for collection:
- 9am on 9th July to 11.59pm on 17th July; and
- 9am on 24th July to 11.59pm on 31st July.
Contractors are asked to submit a declaration in each window, even if all staff assessments were completed during the first.
The questions within the survey are:
- Have you offered a risk assessment to all staff?
- What % of all your staff have you risk assessed?
- What % of risk assessments have been completed for staff who are known to be ‘at-risk’, with mitigating steps agreed where necessary?
- What % of risk assessments have been completed for staff who are known to be from a BAME background, with mitigating steps agreed where necessary?
Update – the wording of questions 3 and 4 is not fully clear on the approach to be taken to calculating the answer. NHSE&I have provided the following further information to assist contractors:
Q3 and 4 are asking – of those staff known to be in the at-risk or BAME categories prior to the risk assessment process, how many of them have had a risk assessment completed. The denominator is all staff known to fit that classification (not all staff known to fit that classification who have accepted the offer of a risk assessment).
Complete the Risk Assessment Declaration
NHSBSA has contacted all pharmacies via NHSmail, but information can also be found on the NHSBSA website
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Flu Vaccination Training 
Additional places released due to high demand.
GM Health Academy have arranged a fantastic and competitively priced training package with ECG and PharmaDoctor to enable pharmacists to provide the NHS national flu service and a private flu service
There are currently 2 sessions available:
Sunday 16th August, 08:30 - 13:00,
The Hough End Centre, Mauldeth Road West, Chorlton, M21 7SX
Book online
Sunday 16th August, 13:30- 18:00,
The Hough End Centre, Mauldeth Road West, Chorlton, M21 7SX
Book online
For more information Click here
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Negotiations on pharmacy COVID-19 funding
Negotiations on high-level community pharmacy costs and funding throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have formally begun.
Although negotiations on specific COVID-19 issues such as the delivery service and Bank Holiday openings have been ongoing, higher-level funding negotiations are now underway following HM Treasury officials' consideration of PSNC's business case and the ongoing data being submitted by the sector.
The formal negotiations process could last many more weeks and during that time PSNC remains bound by HM Government confidentiality rules. Once any position has been agreed in principle it will be for the full PSNC Committee to decide whether it is acceptable to the sector, and we will update contractors as soon as we can.
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Face coverings to be mandatory in shops and supermarkets from 24th July 2020
In the past few weeks non-essential retail premises have reopened to the public and yesterday, it was announced that as part of a move to enhance protection for those that work in shops, as well as to give people more confidence to shop safely, face coverings would be made mandatory in shops (including pharmacies) and supermarkets from 24th July 2020.
Further PSNC updates are available here
Action for contractors: the RPS have produced a printable poster in colour and black and white which can be displayed in your pharmacy – the poster is available here
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National Pandemic Delivery ending 31st July 2020 – New leaflet now available
PSNC has published a leaflet to help community pharmacy teams explain when and why the national pandemic delivery service will end on 31st July 2020.
The end of this service will need to be carefully communicated as the public are likely to be unaware that without it, there is no NHS-funded prescription delivery service*. Whilst shielding patients have already received a letter from HM Government about the changes, it is likely that pharmacy teams will need to reinforce the message with those currently receiving prescription deliveries.
PSNC has developed a patient leaflet that can be used to explain that the service is ending and why, as well as advising shielding patients on what they should do going forward. Some pharmacies may choose to continue to provide a delivery service, for example with a charge being paid by patients, so the leaflet is adaptable to describe your pharmacy’s particular circumstances.
Action for contractors: Please ensure you communicate this information to patients and the public.
Patient leaflet – lockdown medicine deliveries to end 31st July 2020
Further information and links to resources are available here
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GMLPC Weekly summary
Newsletter 22/07/2020 - Click here
- PREM2 Applications – Change in Submission Guidance
- Face Coverings to be Mandatory in Shops and Supermarkets
- #PharmacyHeroes – Your LPC Needs You!
- GM Healthcare Academy – Job opportunities
- Locality Updates
- TCAM update for Greater Manchester
- Reminders: PPE Survey and National COVID Testing
- Home Delivery of Medicines and Appliances Service
- Drug Notifications
- CPPE Online Workshops
Monday Memo updates - Click here
1A) Pharmacy Premises Risk Assessment
1B) Social Distancing Measures
7) PPE Provisions.
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Locality Specific COVID-19 Updates
GMLPC has created a locality specific update page. These updates contain important information for community pharmacy teams about the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here for more information.
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PSNC - Weekly summary
Daily Update - 23/07/2020 - Click here
- Face coverings in shops mandatory from tomorrow
- Updates from Health Education England (HEE)
Daily Update - 22/07/2020 - Click here
- Negotiations on pharmacy COVID-19 funding
- APPG elects new chair and officers
Daily Update - 21/07/2020 - Click here
- Leadership contribution of BAME pharmacy professionals celebrated
- GPhC warns against supply of COVID-19 rapid antibody tests
Daily Update - 20/07/2020 - Click here
- Pandemic Delivery Service ending: patient communications
- Survey suggests COVID-19 has improved attitudes to self care
Daily Update - 17/07/2020 - Click here
- Reminder: NHSBSA staff risk assessment survey
- Posters about wearing face coverings
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