Official delivery service launched by pharmacies for vulnerable customers in Milton Keynes

An official Medicines Delivery Service has been mobilised in all pharmacies across Milton Keynes to ensure community pharmacies to ensure vulnerable patients can access their medications.

The Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC), which represents all NHS pharmacy contractors, has set up the system using volunteers from the national NHS network.

A spokesman said: "In the first instance, vulnerable patients are asked to have their medicines collected by a family member, friend or neighbour.

"If no-one is able to help you collect your prescription, vulnerable patients will be able to ask for support from a national volunteer network which is being mobilised in response to the COVID-19 pandemic"

The spokesman said pharmacies all over the area were under immense pressure and "working tirelessly" round the clock to provide everybody with the medicine they need during the crisis.

"All patients are asked to keep in mind that this delivery service is being launched only for the most vulnerable patients – if you or family are able to continue collecting medicines from pharmacies, please do so. This will help to protect pharmacies from an unmanageable increase in workload at this critical time," he said.

People are also warned not to stockpile medicines.

"Ordering extra prescriptions and buying more over the counter medicines than you need will contribute to disruption to the medicines supply chain, which is otherwise robust," said.David Dean, chief officer of Thames Valley LPC.

He added: “At this time, it is vitally important that those who need their prescriptions from local pharmacies can still access their medicines when they need them. We are today asking those who have been advised to remain indoors to consider how they will be able to access their medicines.

The first step is to ask a family member, friend or neighbour to collect your prescription for you, and if that is not possible, please contact your local pharmacy to see what other options are available to you.

"For everyone not in those vulnerable groups, please continue to collect your medicines in the normal way.”