Pharmacists were added to the government’s shortage occupation list last year in a decision that was welcomed by some employers but questioned by some locums and the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA). Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Lloydspharmacy told C+D yesterday (August 17) that its Marlborough Street branch “had been operating reduced hours” and while it is “actively recruiting to strengthen our team”, due to “a sector-wide shortage of pharmacists, this has become increasingly difficult”. Lloydspharmacy: “Addressing the recent challenges”
Given the “incredible pressures” nationally on both general practice and community pharmacy, "we are very pleased with the outcome we have reached with our community pharmacy colleagues”, they added. They came up with “a clear plan of action ensuring safe prescribing and safe supply of our patients’ medications”, the spokesperson told C+D. Since the letter’s publication, the surgery has met with NHS Devon integrated care board, Devon local medical committee, Devon local pharmaceutical committee and Lloydspharmacy, C+D understands. Read more: Tesco slammed as Lancashire pharmacy branch faces potential slew of closures We have advised them that by removing the nomination, their prescription will be available to them without duplication or added stress.” “We have never advised our patients on which pharmacy they should use, nor have we directed them away from any specific pharmacy.
At this time, any changes to nominations have been done with explicit consent,” they said. “We were wrong to assume implied consent was enough we apologise for this. The surgery “had the patient at the heart of our concerns”, they added. Letter was issued "erroneously but in good faith”Ī Devonport Health Centre spokesperson told C+D that the letter to patients was “issued erroneously but in good faith in order to find a safe solution to the problems faced by pharmacy closures”. Lloydspharmacy cited workforce issues as a reason behind the branch's temporary closures, although it is "actively recruiting", it told C+D. Repeat dispensing batches would have continued to be held by the Lloydspharmacy branch “until the batch ends”, so it advised patients they could ask Lloydspharmacy to return any remaining ones to the NHS Spine. Meanwhile, it told patients they could choose to change their nominated pharmacy or collect a token from the surgery after their prescription had been issued electronically and collect it from “any pharmacy”. “We will encourage patients to nominate a new pharmacy, but we cannot enforce this,” it added in its letter to pharmacies. Read more: Multiples’ part-closure rate 15 times higher than independents, PDA claims
#Pharmacist letter full
Read the GP practice’s full response below. However, a spokesperson for the GP practice told C+D that any changes to patients’ nominations has been done with their “explicit consent”. Informing patients of its decision, Devonport Health Centre wrote in a separate letter that the branch would be removed as their nominated pharmacy from Monday, August 15. The practice’s decision came after “tough few months” of “irregular opening hours and poor communication channels”, which increased its workload and “reduced patient safety”, it wrote. Devonport Health Centre in Plymouth told local pharmacy colleagues it would no longer send electronic prescriptions to the Lloydspharmacy branch on Marlborough Street, in a letter seen by C+D.