The Government has issued new advice to people living in the Tier 4 areas who are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) to COVID-19 (those previously referred to as shielded patients). This advises them to recommence shielding.

People who are clinically extremely vulnerable, living in Tier 4, are being advised by the Government not to go to a pharmacy, and as a consequence of this new advice, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has decided to restart the Pandemic Delivery Service from 21st December 2020 until 18th January 2021.

The service only applies to CEV patients living in one of the following Tier 4 area:

This change to the service requirements was announced, today (21st December 2020), in a letter published by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

The Terms of Service requirements apply to all contractors in England (excluding Distance Selling Pharmacies), but as the only CEV patients that are eligible for support with deliveries are those living in the above Tier 4 areas, only contractors located within those areas are likely to provide services to eligible patients on a regular basis.

Contractors located in Tier 4 areas will receive the Essential service payment for the days the service is active, as set out in Part VIA of the Drug Tariff.

If a contractor (excluding Distance Selling Pharmacies) is asked to deliver a prescription to a clinically extremely vulnerable patient living in one of the above Tier 4 areas, this can be undertaken during the above time period, 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 information on the service can be found here