Road Fuel Supply . NPA Shapes NHS Guidance

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 09 Nov 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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The NPA has persuaded the Department of Health's Emergency Preparedness Division to consider what PCTs should be doing to support community pharmacies in the event of significant disruption to the supply of road fuel - such as the recent tanker drivers' strike - and enable them to have access to road fuel to undertake necessary roles. As a result there are numerous references to community pharmacy in the newly published NHS Guidance on Planning for Disruption to Road Fuel Supply.

Any widespread and prolonged disruption which prevents users accessing fuel when and where they need it will have a significant impact on the NHS to deliver patient care.

The aim of this interim guidance is to assist NHS organisations when preparing their business continuity plans for a local or national disruption to road fuel supply in order to minimise the impact upon the safe and effective delivery of healthcare services.

The guidance recommends that:

PCTs should not just review the use of fuel by NHS organisations but work with local independent contractors (GPs, Pharmacists etc) to encourage the development of road fuel resilience plans

The guidance does not cover travel from work to home, but recommends that when PCTs are completing Business Impact Assessments (BIAs) due consideration should be given to equity and include key independent contractors whose journeys to work are not possible by public transport.

The tools within the 'National Emergency Plan - Fuel' include the Temporary Logo Scheme to enable essential users who do not have access to permanently logoed vehicles (such as ambulances) to get fuel. Services provided by community pharmacies should be included for consideration when deciding who should be entitled to a temporary logo.

Community pharmacies can assist with 'Demand Calming Measures and Routine Fuel Conservation'; the document cites increased uptake of the Repeat Dispensing Scheme as an example of such a measure. "The scheme is currently under utilised and PCTs should work with Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) and Local Medical Committees (LMCs) to improve the use of the scheme."

Margaret Peycke, NPA External Relations Manager, said: "The specific mention of pharmacists in the guidance will prompt primary care organisations to consider community pharmacy in their planning. We will also be contacting PCTs to ask for guarantees that they will apply the guidance. A briefing paper for members will be available on the NPA website shortly: http://www.npa.co.uk/members."

Notes

NHS Guidance on Planning for Disruption to Road Fuel Supply, DH November 2008

National Pharmacy Association

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