Dispensing practices may benefit from reading the infection control recommendations set out in a new NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for community pharmacies in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although primarily directed as community pharmacies, the SOP provides useful information for dispensing practices on the following:
- Removal of the flexible opening provision that allowed pharmacies to close their doors to the public for up to 2.5 hours a day
- Ongoing provisions for shielded patients in local outbreak areas
- Management of returned medicines.
