NHS England has mandated a business continuity plan for pharmacies dealing with temporary closures from the end of this month.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has put together a briefing and a template plan to help guide pharmacy owners through the process. It explains what is required
in the plan, describes how and when to implement it, and outlines some additional considerations.
"This could be added as an annex to your pharmacy's existing business continuity plan. A checklist has also been added, which may be used in the event of a
temporary suspension," said CPE.
"NHS England will be publishing the approved particulars shortly. NHS England is also still to publish guidance on the amendments to the Pharmaceutical Regulations
that came into force on 25th May, which will include guidance on these requirements.
Starting from January 2024, it will be compulsory for medicine suppliers in the NHS supply chain in England to submit an Evergreen Sustainable Supplier
Assessment each year.
Suppliers who fail to submit the sustainability assessment will not be placed on medicines contracts, said NHS England.
The NHS has taken this move as part of its ambition to reach carbon net zero by 2045.
The Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment is a self-assessment and reporting tool for suppliers to share sustainability information with the NHS.
Chris McAleer, medicines net zero project delivery manager at NHS England, announced this new rule at the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists' Procurement and
Distribution Interest Group Autumn Symposium held in Birmingham on 2 November 2023.