Alliance Healthcare and Alphega Pharmacy are proud support World Antimicrobial Awareness Week

Alliance Healthcare and Alphega Pharmacy are proud to be supporting World Antimicrobial Awareness Week which runs from the 18 to the 25 November. The week aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices for using antimicrobials, in order to avoid further emergence of and the spread of drug-resistant infections.

Marie Evans, Managing Director, Alliance Healthcare said: “I am proud that we are supporting AMR week to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices for using antimicrobials. It is important to share awareness of this and pledge our support along with the NHS.”

‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ is the UK-wide campaign, which supports the government’s continued efforts to reduce inappropriate prescriptions for antibiotics. The campaign warns people that taking antibiotics when they are not needed puts them at risk of a more severe or longer infection and urges people to take their doctor’s advice on antibiotics.

To help pharmacy teams spread awareness of the campaign within their pharmacies, we have created a website to share the NHS digital resources available via the NHS, which include:

1. > Posters
2. > Digital Screens
3. > Leaflets

We are encouraging our customers to get on board and support the campaign. In addition, the Alphega Pharmacy team are offering additional guidance on the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (details below), and Business Mentor level support.

PQS E-learning requirement

As part of the PQS E-learning, pharmacy contractors in England who chose to access the PQS renumeration criteria via the PSNC website can complete their *PQS Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) to assess their practice and complete e-learning assessments which must be completed by the end of March 2023.

Alphega Members

As part of their membership fee, Alphega members are being offered support to complete the *PQS AMS for AMR (antimicrobial stewardship) as well as a comprehensive PQS toolkit for all their PQS requirements.

Support us and the NHS during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week

Alliance Healthcare has pledged to become an Antibiotic Guardian and are proud to support this campaign. Find out more here.

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Alliance Healthcare Raise Over £40,000 for Health and Wellbeing of Children

Alliance Healthcare teams cycle more than 1,000km across the UK to raise more than £40,000 for charity.
 

During the sweltering heat, and blistering northern winds, two teams of cyclists completed Alliance Healthcare’s annual charity Tour D’Alliance cycle challenge. The teams, departing from Coatbridge, Scotland, and Exeter, Devon, set off across the UK towards the Alliance Healthcare Leigh Service Centre, Greater Manchester, for a finish line event on Saturday 18 June. In addition, 16 colleagues competed in a virtual challenge across 7 days, collectively covering an additional 1,000km.

Read more...

Supply Optimisation now on the myahportal

Over the past few months, we have heard that you want us to make the process of requesting additional items of product that is subject to Restricted Supply simpler for you, so we are delighted to announce the launch of a new innovative and customer friendly functionality on the Alliance Healthcare portal.

What change is taking place?

In addition to the online Prescription Validation Service, this new Supply Optimisation innovation will allow you to submit a product supply request for a product that is confirmed as being subject to Restricted Supply at the time of your standard order process rather than having to call customer services.

You can now place an order request  24/7 via the myahportal and track the progress of your request more easily and efficiently using the new supply optimisation tool.

This new functionality is available to all users, however administrators can remove access to users as required through the user admin functions.

What are the benefits for me?

• -             Making it easier to do business with us
• -             Simplifies the request for supply when an item is subject to Restricted Supply, and when you need more product than you would order in a typical month
• -             Provides order progress updates so you can track your order via the myahportal
• -             Provides you with your required stock quicker – due to this advanced technology
• -             Modernises the process – no need to call or email us
• -             Brings efficiencies to your business – another feature in our one stop shop offering provided by myahportal

When is this change taking place?

This new functionality is now live on the myahportal.

Here to Help

You can access the Supply Optimisation functions on the portal by:

• -             Selecting the Supply Optimisation tile from your myahportal dashboard
• -             Inputting the pip code and quantity you require and following the on-screen instructions

The status of all pending orders will be available in the order history section of the Supply Optimisation area.

To help assist you with this new service, please watch this short video on how to use the new portal functionality here.

If you experience any difficulties and require support, please contact the Customer Portal Team on 0330 100 0448 – option 8 or email CustomerPortal@alliance-healthcare.co.uk with ‘Supply Optimisation’ in the title of your email.

Alliance Healthcare marks £100k raised for Vitamin Angels UK

Alliance Healthcare marks £100,000 raised for Vitamin Angels UK to support its purpose in improving access to essential nutrition for mothers and children in the UK and around the world.

Yesterday, team members across Alliance Healthcare joined a virtual event called “Around the World” to celebrate the amazing £100,000 fundraising milestone. Marie Evans, Managing Director congratulated the teams who have completed cycle challenges, organised football matches and multiple fundraising events in aid of the charity.

Vitamin Angels UK provided an interactive virtual tour of the villages across the world where funds raised have helped create healthier futures. Over the last four years of the partnership, Alliance Healthcare and Vitamin Angels have reached the lives of over 468,600 children.

Sam Unsworth, CSR Champion for Alliance Healthcare closed the event and said: “We should be really proud of our fundraising efforts to support our charity partnership with Vitamin Angels. Today, was a moment to reflect on our achievement and hear more from the charity. This has really spurred us on to create even more impactful fundraising events. Together we will continue to make a meaningful difference for those that need it most.”

Prince Charles praises pharmacy sector’s ‘dedication and professionalism’ during Covid-19 pandemic

Prince Charles has praised the “dedication and professionalism of pharmacy staff” at an event held in London to celebrate the work of community pharmacists during the Covid-19 pandemic.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales hosted a special event this week at St. James’s Palace State Apartments to celebrate Community Pharmacists.

200 community pharmacy members and other honoured guests, including Our Managing Director, Marie Evans had the privilege of attending.

Speaking about the event, Marie said: “Community pharmacy deserve this recognition, they continued to support UK patients at every moment of the pandemic – and beyond. Their unwavering dedication is something to be admired and celebrated. This has been a very fitting celebration for our remarkable community pharmacists and their teams.”

Read more about the event in the below link:

Prince Charles praises pharmacy sector’s ‘dedication and professionalism’ during Covid-19 pandemic - Latest Pharmacy News | Business | Magazine - Pharmacy Business

Alcura Rated “Good” in CQC Report

Alcura receive “Good” in its recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report a high standard in a competitive market. “This accreditation will go a long way in demonstrating to our patients, future patients, the NHS and manufacturers, the high-level of patient care we deliver at Alcura. As a purpose led organisation, we are dedicated to patient care, so to receive this recognition for our safety is a fantastic reflection of our knowledge and expertise in homecare,” said Pip Reid, Head of Nursing, Alcura.

Alcura received the second highest possible score in its recent CQC report, following the recent unannounced inspection at Alcura House. CQC, the independent regulator of health and social care in England, completed an intense two-day inspection at the Alcura site in Northampton, in February, and recently published the report on its website.

Alcura was inspected as part of the Community Services pillar and its support to care in patient homes, where there is a big emphasis on safety.

The CQC Inspection Report is based on a combination of what the organisation finds when they undertake the inspection, the information from its ongoing monitoring of data about services and information handed by the provider, patients, the public and other organisation. The report covers five questions and areas within the services provided across: Safety, Effectiveness, Caring, Responsiveness and Leadership.

CQC findings conclude that: “We rated the service as good because [..] The service had enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe. Alcura House had a pool of regular bank staff and did not use agency staff. Patients therefore received consistent care from the same nurses. All nursing staff had training in key clinical skills which had been tested through competency assessments.”

Other findings include: “Staff provide good care and treatment [..] Staff treated patients with compassion and kindness [..] Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse [..] Staff assessed risks to patients, acted on them and kept good care records.”

At the time of this inspection, Alcura had 1,252 clinical interactions per month and was supporting 45,000 registered patients. Alcura is committed to maintaining the high standards of patient safety and to identify and implement steps required to reach the highest CQC score - outstanding.

Alliance Healthcare Celebrates Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

Today, and every day across Alliance Healthcare we celebrate our wonderful planet and reflect on the impact we are making. We will continue to create a sustainable operation that will support UK patients for the years to come and that will protect the planet for future generations.

Everyone at Alliance Healthcare has been encouraged to make a personal sustainability pledge as we all continue to play a role in this commitment.

Check out the below video to see what some of our employees are doing to help reduce the impact on the environment.

Training Matters (TM) meets our award-winning team at our Coatbridge Service Centre!

Our service centre teams are the power behind our large operation here at Alliance Healthcare UK. The recent TM visit was a great chance for us to show what happens behind-the-scenes in a fast paced supply chain operation and the brilliant team behind it.

Our Coatbridge Service Centre was originally based in Livingston, however our team made the move to Coatbridge in 2017 to enable room for expansion.

Lee Jamieson, Service Centre Manager has been the driving force to the success of our operation in Coatbridge, and said: “We went from being – at the time – the worst in the network for damages, stock write-offs and missing parcels to being one of the best sites in the network, which is an absolute credit to the people down there on the floor.

“To turn what was the worst into one of the best is incredible and it’s been well executed to get there. No one person can do that all on their own – you’re only as good as your team.”

You can read the full article here 👉An award-winning team (tmmagazine.co.uk)

Our philanthropic efforts in response to the Ukrainian conflict

AmerisourceBergen and Alliance Healthcare - March 18, 2022

As we continue to follow the tragic developments in Ukraine, our hearts and our thoughts remain with the local people. Their courage and resilience in the face of these terrible circumstances is an inspiration, and their heroic everyday actions remind us of the importance of doing all we can to help. At AmerisourceBergen, we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures and we are honoured to be able to offer the following philanthropic support.

Across all businesses within AmerisourceBergen, our team members are working with governments, associations and partners across Europe to understand and respond to the needs identified by Ukrainian authorities and humanitarian organisations, such as the World Health Organisation.

The safety and wellbeing of our Word Courier colleagues in Ukraine is a priority and all necessary support is being provided. The company’s Associate Assistance Fund, which gives aid to team members facing financial hardship due to an event outside their control, has provided financial assistance to several team members in the Eastern Europe region that have been directly impacted by the conflict.  This support will continue and they remain in our thoughts in the days and weeks ahead.  

In alignment with AmerisourceBergen Foundation’s mission  a total of $500K to support the humanitarian response in and around Ukraine has been granted.  Recipient organizations include the following:

• > Americares
• > Direct Relief
• > International Committee of the Red Cross
• > International Medical Corps
• > International Rescue Committee
• > Project HOPE
• > International Health Partners
• > Greater Good

The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is also matching employee donations on a 2:1 basis to Direct Relief, International Committee of the Red Cross, the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund at GlobalGiving and Americares.  As of March 18th, team members from 28 countries have donated more than $60K. This will be matched by the Foundation for an additional $120K+, for a total of just under $185k going to support the work being done to address the humanitarian crisis in and around Ukraine. 

Partnering with Americares and Direct Relief, AmerisourceBergen has to date provided product donations valued at nearly $200k and this continues to grow.   Items such as antibiotics, first aid supplies, glove and general healthcare and hygiene products along with animal health products will support the efforts on-the-ground.   

To date Alliance Healthcare has donated approximately $92K in corporate cash donations.  Other support from our country businesses include:

• > Romania is on the front line in helping with the unfolding humanitarian crisis and has initiated multiple projects with Save the Children including providing support for mother and children refugees and a donation of infant formula and baby food along with giving 15,000 euros to hospitals in Ukraine on Romanian border and a further 15,000 euros to assist Ukrainian refugees in Romania.
• > Alloga in the Czech Republic is working with the Ministry of Health and providing vital logistical expertise transporting medical products to the Ukraine.

• > In Lithuania, the team have already worked with the Government to supply vital medicines to Ukraine; and after collaboration with the Lithuanian Ministry of Health and a third party organisation, it is now supplying vital medicines directly to the Lviv Children’s hospital in Ukraine.
• > Norway is making a significant financial donation of over 450,000 NOK ($50,000) to the Red Cross.
• > In Turkey as part of the company’s membership of the American Chamber of Commerce, our team is investigating how it can support with both humanitarian and medical requirements.  
• > Alloga UK has partnered with International Health Partners (IHP) for a number of years whereby they receive a number of medicines on their behalf (charity donations from pharma manufacturers) and assemble them into essential medicines kits following IHP's instructions. To support efforts in the Ukraine and in addition the ABF donation mentioned above, Alloga colleagues are picking and packing kits in their own time and the business is covering the costs of sending existing and newly assembled kits on behalf of IHP to the country.
• > Across all other markets, our colleagues, Alphega member pharmacies and partners are collaborating to plan additional support including further product donations and fundraising.  

A perspective from Steve Collis, CEO of AmerisourceBergen can be found at: (8) Finding Solace in Insecurity – Reflecting on the Invasion of Ukraine | LinkedIn.

*All figures accurate as of time of publishing.

The Pharmacy Collect and lateral flow device (LFD) test kit scheme is closing – what you need to know:

Since the start of the Pharmacy Collect programme Alliance Healthcare has partnered the UKHSA to deliver over 320 million lateral flow device (LFD) test kits to community pharmacy across the UK.

In line with the Government’s Living with Covid Plan and testing for most citizens ceasing at the end of March, we are working with UKHSA to ensure that LFD test kits continue to be evenly distributed in the remaining two weeks and, just as importantly, that the amount of remaining stock after the service closes is minimised.

UKHSAs’ last delivery to Alliance Healthcare UK is Friday 18th March. Alliance Healthcare will continue to deliver LFDs whilst stocks last and up until Friday 25th March.

You will not be able to place a Return for LFD test kits from 18th March, unless it is faulty or damaged. Visit www.alliance-healthcare.co.uk for further details.