Pharmacy Collect: UKHSA update on LFD stock (30th Dec)
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The unprecedented public demand for Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits via the Pharmacy Collect service continues.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are continuing to deliver stock to Alliance Healthcare for onward delivery to pharmacies. PSNC has been in regular contact with the UKHSA about the supply issues in recent days and we have the following update for pharmacy teams.
On 24th December, 2.5 million tests were sent to Alliance Healthcare. That stock was ready to be delivered yesterday (29th December) when Alliance Healthcare re-opened after its planned Christmas break, and it represents c. 357,000 individual packs of 7 tests and just over 6,000 cartons.
Yesterday, a further 2.3m Orient Gene tests were sent to replenish the Alliance Healthcare distribution centres (c. 328.5k individual packs of 7 tests and just over 5,500 cartons).
Today (30th December), around 1.97m tests (Acon Flowflex and Orient Gene brands) have been sent to Alliance Healthcare (c. 281k individual packs of 7 tests and c. 5,000 cartons). A similar number of tests is also planned to be delivered to Alliance Healthcare tomorrow (31st December).
The stock being received by Alliance Healthcare will be one of the following products, so contractors should check availability of each product and order whichever is in stock at the time:
Product: DHSC INNOVA COVID-19 test kits PIP: 8943037 (54 packs of 7 tests per carton)
Product: DHSC FLOWFLEX COV test kits PIP: 8033680 (56 packs of 7 tests per carton)
Product: DHSC ORIENT GENE test kits PIP: 8943995 (59 packs of 7 tests per carton)
There may be periods when the products appear out of stock, before more replenishment stock is received from the UKHSA; in that circumstance contractors should check back later in the day to see if more stock has become available to order.
Read more about the Pharmacy Collect service
Commenting on the current situation, Alastair Buxton, Director of NHS Services at PSNC, said:
“The public demand for test kits remains exceptionally high ahead of the New Year celebrations, with people wanting to use LFD tests to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.
“The UKHSA are sending the maximum available stock of test kits to pharmacies via their partner wholesaler, but most pharmacies report that as soon as a carton of test kits arrives, the constant public demand means the kits are all handed out before the end of the day.
“Pharmacies can only order one carton per day, but the current supply of stock to the wholesaler means there is not sufficient stock to allow each of the 10,000+ pharmacies providing the service to all receive one carton daily.
“We are continuing to receive reports of pharmacy staff being verbally abused by members of the public unable to access test kits. We share the feelings of frustration that there is insufficient stock of test kits to meet the current unprecedented demand from the public, but people’s annoyance should not be taken out on pharmacy staff who are doing their best to meet the needs of the public alongside providing other essential healthcare services.
“We ask the public to recognise the supply constraints that pharmacies are working under and that they behave respectfully to pharmacy team members.”
Reminder: Official ‘Out of Stock’ poster
The UKHSA have issued a poster which pharmacies can print off and display when they are out of stock of test kits.
Download the LFD test kits out of stock poster (colour)
Download the LFD test kits out of stock poster (black and white)
Editable and A3 versions of the posters are available to download from the Campaigns Resources Centre.
Contractors are also reminded that NHS England and NHS Improvement recently issued materials to be used in all primary care locations to encourage people to show respect to staff.
