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Pandemic delivery service extended until Feb 21

The NHS has confirmed that the 'pandemic delivery service' will now cover clinically extremely vulnerable patients anywhere in England until February 21.

The latest decision to extend the service follows announcement of a third nationwide Covid-19 lockdown this week. This extension of the pandemic delivery service supersedes the previous announcements made on December 21, 26, and 31 for the medicines delivery service for the Tier 4 areas.


Excluding distance selling pharmacies, all community pharmacy contractor will receive the essential service payment for the days the service is active, as set out in Part VIA of the Drug Tariff, the Pharmacy Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has said in its advice to pharmacies.

If a contractor is asked to deliver a prescription to a clinically extremely vulnerable patient, this can be undertaken until February 21.  The contractor can claim for payment via the Manage Your Service (MYS) platform and the claims should be submitted by the fifth of the following month.

Community pharmacies across England will be required to ensure those on the Shielded Patient List across the country can receive their prescription medicines and appliances until February 21.

All contractors will receive the essential, mandatory service payments.  “Any pharmacy or dispensing doctor making a delivery to a patient in line with the service specification for the advanced service for community pharmacy or the service specification for the Dispensing Doctor Home Delivery Service respectively – can claim a fee for delivery during the period for which the service is commissioned,” the NHS has said in an update.

Pharmacies will also be required to ensure those on the shielded patient list across the country can receive their prescription medicines and appliances until the date specified.

It remains the case that where possible a friend, relative, carer or volunteer should be asked to collect medicines and the clinically extremely vulnerable patient should not visit a pharmacy.

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