The RPS has called for a new life assurance scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic to apply to all pharmacists.
The scheme should extend to all health and care workers, but we’re concerned by media reports that pharmacists in England will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. We’ve raised this with the Government and have also asked for further details on the schemes in Wales and Scotland.
RPS President Sandra Gidley said:
“Pharmacists and their teams are working in exceptional circumstances and putting themselves at risk every day when they care for patients.
“We know that pharmacies are seeing a huge surge in demand as one of the few places keeping their doors open to the public.
“People may not display symptoms of COVID-19, and so it’s hard to see why the scheme should be limited to health and care environments where the virus is ‘known to be present’.
“We know that the vast majority of frontline pharmacy teams can’t maintain social distancing from staff or patients and aren’t always able to access the PPE they need.
“We have contacted the governments in England, Scotland and Wales asking them to clarify this scheme will extend to all pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and support staff.”