Scottish Government has announced that funding is being made available to help community pharmacy contractors purchase air extraction equipment for their premises.
This funding will support both staff and patient safety, and is an important protection against respiratory infections, including Covid-19, from transmission.
Pharmacists provide face to face healthcare services to people across Scotland every day. Throughout the pandemic, pharmacists have been on the front-line supporting people as a first port of call.
As Scotland, along with the rest of GB, begins to open-up again following the pandemic, this investment will support community pharmacies across Scotland to keep both patients and healthcare staff safe.
Commenting on the Scottish Government announcement about the new investment, Clare Morrison, Director of RPS Scotland, said:
“This additional funding is really important. More and more people across Scotland are choosing to access pharmacy teams directly as their first port of call, so it’s good to know that there is going to be additional investment in protecting both the public and staff from respiratory infections, including Covid.
“As we re-emerge from the pandemic, it’s important that we all take appropriate measures to protect one another, especially those who are particularly vulnerable. This investment is a sensible measure, that will limit the spread of infection and provide people with confidence as we go about our everyday lives.”
The full Scottish Government statement on the Community Pharmacy Ventilation Enhancement Allowance, can be read here: https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/pca/PCA2022(P)04.pdf