COVID-19: Buddy pharmacy list to meet new community pharmacy SOP requirements

Written by admin on Friday 27th March 2020

All pharmacies should have a buddy pharmacy to help patients access services should you need to close for a significant period of time. CPSC have produced this buddy list for you to share with your team

 

The current Community Pharmacy SOP for COVID-19 recommends each pharmacy have a buddy pharmacy to help patients access services should you need to close for a significant period of time.

CPSC have buddied each pharmacy up with a neighbouring pharmacy (you may have more than one buddy pharmacy). This has been done on a geographical basis as it is to aid patients.

Actions required:

  • Find your buddy pharmacy (see list below)
  • Ensure your team are aware of your buddy pharmacy
  • If you need to close, patients will need to be directed to the nearby buddy pharmacy by displaying a sign visible from the outside of your pharmacy building i.e. message on the door or window
  • If you need to close for a significant period of time; then you also need to send all downloaded EPS prescriptions that are not dispensed/ processed back to the spine

As the prescriptions will be back on the NHS spine, the patient will then be able to go to another pharmacy and request it to be downloaded if they need it urgently

*** Returning the EPS prescription to the spine means there is no additional work created for GP practices ***

Please ensure all these actions are completed before closure for any significant period of time. More details about opening hours and network resilience guidance can be found at:

How to find your buddy pharmacy:

  • open the spreadsheet (below) to search for your pharmacy in Columns A&B (Name and ODS code)
  • read across the line (row) to find your buddy Pharmacy.

... we have included the phone number and email address for your information only

How far is your buddy pharmacy to walk or drive to by car?

  • open the PDF document (below) to search for your locality (scroll down through the various maps to find your locality)
  • Look at the options (some locality maps are for walking, some for driving and some have both maps available)

... check the key for numbers relating to each pharmacy location and look at the coloured circles that show various times of travel

COVID-19 resilience buddy maps - pharmacy locations image.png COVID-19 resilience buddy maps - pharmacy times image.png
Return to News