RPS has today [Wednesday 25 March 2020] written to the British Retail Consortium to ask for its help to make sure that all pharmacy staff are able to access priority opening hours in supermarkets for NHS staff.
Given that some staff do not have NHS ID cards, RPS is also asking supermarkets to accept other forms of identification from their employer or work setting. In the event that an individual doesn’t have any form of ID card, RPS has produced a letter to be shown at the supermarket, which should be validated with the staff member’s workplace stamp. You can see a copy of the letter here.
RPS President, Sandra Gidley, said: “Pharmacy teams are key workers, providing critical support for the NHS on the frontline for patients and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. The workload and pressures that pharmacy colleagues are facing at this time have increased significantly. The opportunity for dedicated priority shopping would be a huge source of support and comfort to pharmacy teams right across the country.”