Business continuity plans for dealing with temporary suspensions (closures)

DHSC has introduced the requirement for business continuity plans to deal with temporary closures (temporary suspensions of pharmaceutical services), to ensure a standard response from pharmacies that temporarily close.

The plans require pharmacies to identify what actions will be carried out if a temporary closure (suspension) is likely to happen, or happens.

All pharmacies must have a business continuity plan in place from 31st July 2023.

What must be included in the plan?

Plan requirements:

• Notification: How the pharmacy will inform the ICB when a temporary suspension is likely to or does occur and its duration (wherever possible before the start of the suspension).
• Update DoS: The pharmacy’s Directory of Services(DoS) needs to be updated with details about the suspension of service and, once business has resumed, the re-starting of services.
• Reduce external referrals for services: If the pharmacy provides services such as CPCS. Updating DoS with details of the closure will temporarily remove the pharmacy from the 111 referral list.
• Notify GPs and other pharmacies: Detail how the pharmacy will notify local GP surgeries and pharmacies about the temporary closure and its anticipated duration.
• Display closure information: For physical (bricks and mortar) pharmacies by a notice visible from the outside of the premises. For Distance Selling Pharmacies (DSPs) by clearly displaying the information to any user of the pharmacy’s website.
• Continuity of patient care: Make arrangements for the patients with booked appointments (either rebooking or referring onwards) and patients who attend the pharmacy for drug treatment medicine, both supervision and supply.

More details on the requirements can be found at:

• PSNC-Briefing-012.23-DHSCs-changes-to-the-Pharmaceutical-Regulations.pdf (cpe.org.uk)