Community pharmacies are receiving a £300 million cash boost to ensure they can continue carrying out essential services in the High Peak and across the country during the coronavirus pandemic.

This funding injection will support critical services to protect public health, supply medicines and provide medical advice to patients during a period of unprecedented demand.

Pharmacy contractors were paid £200 million on 1 April alongside their normal monthly payments from the NHS Business Services Authority. A further £100 million will be allocated on 1 May 2020.

During this period, High Peak pharmacies will not be required to carry out non-critical administrative tasks.  This will allow High Peak pharmacies to prioritise the most important tasks. The Government is also working to increase workforce capacity and flexibility, calling on pharmacy professionals who have recently left professional registers to return.

Robert Largan MP commented: 

“Coronavirus has placed enormous pressure on High Peak community pharmacies. I am really pleased the Government is giving them an extra cash boost to help support the vital role they play in tackling this disease. 

“Whilst businesses and venues in the High Peak have been instructed to remain closed, pharmacies are an important exception. They can remain open and continue to operate as normally as possible. 

“For those High Peak residents who are shielding or self-isolating, pharmacies can deliver prescriptions to their door, so that everyone can get the medicine they need without breaching social distancing guidelines. This will help protect the NHS and save lives.”