Locate a Locum see huge surge in demand

With local GP surgeries closing and sending their scripts to pharmacies this has put pharmacists on the frontline and at greater risk of catching COVID-19.

Locate a Locum have seen a huge surge in locum pharmacists who want to work in order to give tired and sick pharmacists a break or relief.

The online site uses ‘on demand’ technology through a website and app that helps pair thousands of pharmacies around the UK with over 12,000 pharmacists.

Locate a Locum has also helped a number of ex-pharmacists who wish to re-register and become compliant in order to help out other industry professionals in their time of need. These ​healthcare professionals are risking their own wellbeing to help their colleagues and maintain the highest level of service to their patients and customers.

Rebecca Maguire,who works as a pharmacist in Woodbourne Pharmacy, Belfast, said: “As if community pharmacy wasn’t stressful already, working at the minute is very scary. Pharmacists are exposed but continue to serve the community as best we can.

“I think pharmacy staff are the most crucial healthcare staff at the minute in the community and we would just like respect.”

Another local locum pharmacist stated: “I think it’s essential in times of distress that as community locums we are supporting the maintenance in the consistency of healthcare advice, prescription provision and reassurance to the public in order to support our secondary care health professionals in hospitals to allow them to treat the vulnerable patients affected by the virus.”

Ensuring pharmacies stay open in this difficult time remains Locum’s core mission and they are in a great position to do this with one of the largest healthcare professionals databases in the UK.

Jonathon Clarke, CEO at Locate a Locum, added: “​How the pharmacy profession has reacted to this challenge has made me proud to be a pharmacist. Pharmacists and pharmacy staff are willing to put their own health at risk to ensure the health of their patients remain a first priority.​”

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