Coronavirus (Covid-19) Volunteering to collect a prescription for a friend, family member or neighbour

During the national lockdown for coronavirus, the government funded all community pharmacies to provide a medicines delivery service. These medicines deliveries were for those patients who needed it most, i.e. those who were shielding and had no-one to collect medicines for them. The government’s shielding support package ended on 31st July 2020. This will also bring the national pharmacy medicines delivery service to a close.

Advice for patients:

• Ask a friend or relative to collect your medicines for you. 
• Call NHS Volunteer Responders on 0808 196 3646(8am to 8pm) to arrange support.
• Contact their pharmacy or their local council to find a local volunteer.

Collections made by friends and family:

Many people are kindly supporting others by collecting their prescriptions. Before you start collecting and dropping-off medicines to patients’ homes, it is important to understand how to undertake your tasks safely and effectively. This is key to protecting patient safety and confidentiality.

1) Go to the right pharmacy

2) Know the name and address of the person you are collecting for

3) It may save time in the pharmacy if you know what medicine(s) you are expecting

4) Please don’t be off ended if the pharmacist asks for ID or cannot hand over some items

5) Ask the patient if they pay for their prescription – it’s £9.15 per prescription item

6) If the patient doesn’t pay, ask them which ‘exemption’ applies to them

Blister packs

• We understand that delivery of blister packs is not affected by the government announcement and will continue as planned.
• At this busy time, some pharmacies are prioritising the issue of blister packs for the most vulnerable who need them most. This is happening only once a robust assessment of patient need has been undertaken by the community pharmacist taking into account Equality Act 2010 requirements.