Services Database search results

The Enhanced Service agreement has been implemented within four pharmacies across Cheshire and Merseyside for the stockholding and supply of antiviral medication. This is specifically (although not exclusively) to support the patient pathway for access to antiviral medication to protect patients exposed to flu or an influenza-like-illness in a care home setting.

Patients and Care Homes will be expected to contact their regular pharmacy in the first instance.

The SLA is in place to support patients out of normal trading days e.g during Bank Holidays or when their regular pharmacy may not be able to supply the medication in the time-frame required.

The SLA and is currently unavailable.

Not known.

A description of this service is currently not available.

Not known.

This service is aimed at the prompt supply of specialist medicines, the demand for which may be urgent and/or unpredictable according to circulating levels or detection of localised outbreaks of influenza. The Service Specification details the provision of antiviral medicines from initial outbreak in the out of season period but also describes how this fits with wider pandemic flu arrangements as defined by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The community pharmacy contractor will stock a locally agreed range of antiviral medicines and will ensure that users of this service can have prompt access to these at all times as far as is possible.

The pharmacist will provide pharmaceutical advice to clinicians, patient or carers and may also refer patients to support groups or other health and social care professionals where appropriate.

This service aims to ensure the supply of antiviral treatment, the demand for which may be
urgent and/or unpredictable.

The aim of the service is to improve access to antiviral treatment when it is required, by
ensuring prompt access and continuity of supply, during both in and out of flu season.

The Pharmacy Contractor will be required to hold stock of the medication specified in Appendix
A. This will be dispensed in response to NHS prescriptions being presented, in season and
NHS prescriptions being used as approved stationary or private prescriptions, out of season,
making a commitment to ensure that users of this service have prompt access to these
medicines for all their opening hours (Core and Supplementary) agreed with NHS England.

All pharmacies registered with the GPhC and holding an NHS England contract should be able to

issue antivirals through this service, as long as they are able to do so in time for the patients to get

the dose within the required time. Where indicated, oseltamivir antiviral treatment for influenza

should be started as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours of onset of symptoms. Therefore

the process for clinical assessment and dispensing of antivirals needs to be completed in a very

timely fashion. Oseltamivir prophylaxis should be started within 48 hours of exposure to a case; or

after 48 hours on Public Health England (PHE) specialist advice only (36 hours if Zanamivir is

used).

It should be noted however that those pharmacies commissioned to provide the Specialist

Medicines LES should hold small stocks of antivirals.