In a letter published by NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) this evening (19th February 2021), it has been confirmed that the Pandemic Delivery Service will be commissioned from 19th February 2021 to 31st March 2021 (inclusive) for all clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) patients living in England.

This news follows the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announcement made earlier this week that up to 1.7m more individuals have been identified as CEV and would be added to the Shielded Patient List and that the Government’s shielding advice and support was being extended nationally until 31st March 2021.

This supersedes the announcement made on 5th January 2021.

Pharmacies must therefore continue to support CEV patients anywhere in England to receive their prescription medicines and appliances by home delivery until 31st March 2021, if they are unable to arrange for medicines to be picked up.

The Terms of Service requirements apply to all contractors in England (excluding Distance Selling Pharmacies) and they will receive the Essential service payment for the days the service is active, as set out in Part VIA of the Drug Tariff.

NHSE&I guidance on the community pharmacy Essential service element and the Advanced service specification

If a contractor (excluding Distance Selling Pharmacies) is asked to deliver a prescription to a clinically extremely vulnerable patient, this can be undertaken until 23:59 on 31st March 2021, under the terms of the Advanced service and a claim for payment can be made via the Manage Your Service (MYS) platform. Claims should be submitted by the 5th day of the following month.

Further detail on the service requirements can be found here