THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HOSPITAL MEDICINES INFORMATION SERVICES Reflecting on a year of change By Dave Abbott
Over the last year, much has been said about the impact of Covid-19 on the NHS and wider society. There probably isn’t an area that hasn’t been affected in some way by the restrictions that Covid-19 has made necessary, the changes to working practices to accommodate this, and the new and changed work that has developed from the need to respond to it. Medicines Information services in the NHS were not exceptional in this respect, and many teams both inside and outside the NHS will have had similar or greater demands placed on them. However, there were some unique challenges for Medicines Information teams, both working in the NHS at a time of great service pressure, and working within an information service at a time when evidence was limited, but the demand for specific advice high.
Medicines Information services provide information and advice to healthcare professionals, patients and carers to support patients getting the greatest benefit from their medicines. In early 2020, as the impact of Covid-19 could be seen approaching the UK, it became apparent that the work of hospital pharmacies would need to evolve. What new work needed to be picked up, and how could this be delivered when people were under increased pressure both inside and outside of work?
Background
Logistics - dispersed workforce, dispersed enquirers
NHS Medicines Information services are based in most Trusts in the UK, and coordinate through the UK Medicines Information group (UKMI). Staffed predominantly by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians,
One of the first impacts noticed was the need for social distancing. As staff moved to remote working to support
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