Demand for preions up threefold since virus outbreak

Demand for preions up threefold since virus outbreak

1 April 2020

A COMMUNITY pharmacist has reported that demand for preions has tripled over the last two weeks from patients stocking up on medication during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Paula McDaid, of McDaid’s Chemist in Ardglass, said that a new recommendation from the Health and Social Care Board will soon ask patients to allow up to seven days from when they ask for a prescription from their GP to when it is collected.

The pharmacist, who has practiced in Ardglass for the last 30 years, said that patients’ expectations of the turnaround of their prescriptions has been “overwhelming”.

“The last few weeks have been very, very stressful and totally exhausting. The pressure to meet the demand for prescriptions went off like a valve released and it came from everywhere,” she said.

“The most concerning aspect was people’s expectations of how quickly we could turn things around for them. It’s been overwhelming at times.

“Like every community pharmacist, we had unprecedented numbers of prescriptions coming through.  I would say that we were dispensing three times more prescriptions per day than we normally would.”

She said that the demand was fuelled by patients looking for more medication than their normal supply, rather than prescribing to treat patients with coronavirus in the community.

“I think there was a bit of panic and people were stocking up. But in stocking up, they put some pressure on the supply chain from the wholesalers, with people looking for more than they normally get. We are still trying to deal with that,” said Paula.

The pharmacist installed a hatch on the front door of her pharmacy a week ago – effectively closing it off from the public.

She said: “I had to think long and hard about it as I needed to protect my staff but also the community. We did put measures in to curtail the flow of customers. Most were very good with it. We must keep providing the service to the community.

“Generally customers have been very understanding and supportive and all appreciate what we have done.”

The pharmacist reported that demand for inhalers – used for patients with asthma – “spiked sharply” and she was only getting in some brands back in stock today.

She said: “We are out of hand sanitisers, anti-bacterial wipes, Vitamin C products and Dettol cleaning products.

“We sold our last Vitamin C pack last Tuesday and before that we had been out of stock of anti-bacterial gel for a week.

“Some companies are taking advantage with their pricing. We still have paracetamol but we are rationing it out to one pack per customer. At one point the price had tripled. While we do have some stocks of toilet roll, we can hardly get any boxes of tissues. We have got hand wash back in again but stocks are limited.”

Paula said that she and her staff of eight, which includes another pharmacist, a technician and several dispensary assistants, have been working long hours to cope with demand.

She said: “For a solid two weeks, it was unreal. Community pharmacy gets the pressure before Christmas, before Easter, before any major holiday and we rise to the challenge each time. This was unprecedented and unsustainable. Luckily conversations began to happen between ourselves and GPs and the demand has slowed a little.

“However, we need people to realise that community pharmacy is going nowhere. We will remain open and people will get their medication.”

Paula said her pharmacy is continuing to provide delivery to the “elderly, housebound and infirm” but asked if any patients has a family member who can collect to ask them to do so.

Customers are leaving and collecting prescriptions through the hatch at the front door while staff members can also shop for other items they might need.

Paula advised: “If patients can give us 48 hours or even a day longer, then their prescription will be ready and there will be no waiting.

“We have had people volunteer to collect and deliver for neighbours and friends as this is a fantastic community in Ardglass and they rally round.

“This is an experience that none of us ever have had to live through before. We just don’t know how this is going to mushroom. That’s the main problem we are all facing here.”

Paula paid her thanks to her staff “for going above and beyond” to keep the service going, the staff of the nearby Spar who have provided food and hot drinks to sustain her and her staff and to her customers for their understanding and support.