The NHS Test and Trace service is causing significant staffing pressures in pharmacies

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has stated that the NHS Test and Trace service is causing significant staffing pressures by implying that it is appropriate to self-isolate entire community pharmacy teams.

The PSNC highlighted advice from NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) in its regular update, published on 5 October 2020, which highlighted that individuals working in the healthcare sector should pause the NHS Test and Trace app when working in a healthcare building. The guidance also suggested that when working behind a fixed Perspex screen, large enough to provide adequate protection, the app should be paused.

The PSNC stated in the same update that it was aware of the difficulties surrounding NHS Test and Trace for community pharmacies and that it anticipated the regulation and management of the NHS Test and Trace system for pharmacies to be comparable to that in the remainder of the primary care sector. However, the PSNC stated that it was working with NHSE&I to tackle this problem.

Chief Officer of Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes Local Pharmaceutical Committee, Anne-Marie King, stated: “The do’s and don’ts around self-isolation and what to do if a colleague has tested positive, or is awaiting a test result, or a colleague who lives with someone who has tested positive – the scenarios are endless. There is much confusion out there – ‘Do I need to come to work?’, ‘Does the whole team isolate?”

Director of operations and support at the PSNC, Gordon Hockey, stated: ”As the COVID-19 outbreak continues it is inevitable that community pharmacy contractors will temporarily lose staff members when they are exposed to the virus and need to follow self-isolation rules. However, contractors are increasingly reporting to us that the NHS Test and Trace service is causing additional staffing pressures by suggesting that whole teams must self-isolate. Pharmacy teams will struggle to continue to maintain vital services for patients if NHS Test and Trace does not take into account the COVID-safe measures, including the use of PPE, that have been put in place to help to prevent transmission between co-workers. PSNC is aware that in other healthcare establishments the individual circumstances of the case are considered and is seeking parity for community pharmacies.”