Specific Covid-19 news and resources for NPA Members in Scotland
Note: Please do also refer to UK-wide NPA guidance available here
The NPA provides regular updates on Scottish news and NPA support and also UK news and NPA support relevant to Scottish readers. We have compiled a list of recent communications for your information, by date order and subject topic.
Lateral Flow Test Kit Collect Service (Pharmacy Collect)
Patient-specific PMR, temporarily not required until 10th Jan 22
Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) has advised of an informal agreement with the Scottish Government to enable the electronic claiming for the supply of lateral flow test kits not to require patient-specific information. The kits can now be claimed through a Dummy patient record, with one claim for the number of kits of a specific batch of kits supplied each day. This is a temporary measure, provisionally set to 10th January 2022, to help streamline the process in pharmacies and save time in individual patient PMR entry.
The PMR for the supply should be made under patient name LFD Kit with date of birth dd/mm/yyyy at address 1 Any street, NF1 More information here
COVID-19 Response: Omicron variant (Scotland)
Governments across the UK are reacting to the increase in the Omicron variant here
Information Sources for Scottish members:
Community Pharmacy – COVID-19 vaccination programme payment agreements (Nov 2020)
NPA Resources:
COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service – SOP May 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Services – patient pre-screening form
Government statement on public holidays opening
Download the coronavirus (COVID-19) communication toolkit (ZIP, 38 MB)
Key worker template letters for use in Scotland
Clinical advice:
Ibuprofen and Covid-19 & Scottish government advice
Testing:
Test and Protect is the Scottish Government strategy for coronavirus testing, tracing and isolation, which may have serious implications for your team’s capacity at short notice. Please review your pharmacy processes to maintain staff physical distancing and adopt new practices where you can to protect your staff from being asked to self-isolate.
Anyone with new symptoms of Coronavirus should contact www.nhsinform.scot 08000282816 to arrange to be tested and should immediately self-isolate for 7 days.
If the test result is positive, a contact tracing team will support the individual to identify people they have been in close contact for long enough to have risked spreading the virus. Those identified will be traced and advised to self isolate for 10 days, although they will not be told who their positive tested contact is.
Exemption from self-isolation exemption for health and social care workers can apply. Read more information regarding this exemption, including the criteria required here
For further information check advice for employers and guidance for healthcare settings including pharmacies.
Covid-19 testing to enable key workers to return to work. Details available on the NHS Board section of the CPS COVID homepage
Wellbeing resources:
New National Wellbeing Hub launched-Employee and employer support
A new platform for health and social care workers and carers to support their physical and mental health is now available in Scotland.
Launched on 11th May by the Scottish Government, the new digital wellbeing hub enables staff, carers, volunteers and their families to access support designed to aid resilience with the impact of COVID-19. The National Wellbeing Hub has resources split to employee and employer roles with content including management and coaching, building teams, and practical and emotional support.
Looking after yourself: supporting resilience and wellbeing in health and social care workers.
Looking after people: providing psychosocial support to patients and the public using Psychological First Aid.
Looking after your staff: Responding to distress in frontline health-workers, advice for managers and organisations supporting health and social care workers.
Public Health Scotland
https://publichealthscotland.scot/