Secretary of State declaration of emergency extension
The declaration of an emergency requiring the flexible provision of pharmaceutical services which was introduced to help maintain pharmacy services during the COVID-19 outbreak, has been extended to 31st January 2022.
This means that contractors are still allowed to make temporary changes to opening hours or temporary closures where, first, adequate reasons for these changes have been provided to NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I), second, NHSE&I have been given 24 hours’ notice of these changes and, third, NHSE&I has agreed these changes or has not objected to them.
After contractors have given 24 hours’ notice, and in the absence of a response from NHSE&I, they may start the flexible provision of opening hours. However, contractors must return to normal opening hours if their request is subsequently refused by NHSE&I.
Further information about the emergency regulations is available on our network resilience page.
