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.

Important update on operations in Eastern Europe

AmerisourceBergen - 15 March 2022

Leaders at AmerisourceBergen continue to monitor the international response and reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

All operations in Ukraine remain suspended to ensure the safety of our team members, partners and customers. AmerisourceBergen will cease new business initiatives in Russia and Belarus while completing support of existing clinical trials and continuing distribution of oncology therapies and other pharmaceutical products.

We will continue to share more information as soon as it is available. Please keep checking this page for further updates. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to your local World Courier representative.

For more information about AmerisourceBergen’s current operations in Eastern Europe, please read this statement from Robert Mauch, Executive Vice President and Group President of AmerisourceBergen.

AmerisourceBergen and Alliance Healthcare - March 7, 2022

An Alliance Healthcare spokesperson said:

“Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people whose resilience and fortitude is truly remarkable and inspirational to us all.  As the conflict in Ukraine continues, our priority has been – and will remain – to put the health of all team members and patients first.

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 eleven Word Courier colleagues in Ukraine is a priority and we provide all necessary support to them. They will remain in our thoughts in the days and weeks ahead.  

In alignment with AmerisourceBergen Foundation’s mission a commitment of $100,000 in grant donations have been deployed to support organizations on the ground in Ukraine to provide care and relief to those impacted by this conflict, including Direct Relief to support their emergency response in and around Ukraine.

The Foundation is also matching employee donations on a 2:1 basis to Direct Relief, International Committee of the Red Cross and the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund at GlobalGiving. i.e. for every Euro donated by a colleague, the Foundation will donate two. The AB Foundation is committed to support relief efforts surrounding the Ukraine crisis over the long term. This donation is an initial step in these efforts.

Other support from our country businesses include:

• > Romania has initiated 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.  
• > Even in markets further away in geographical terms, colleagues, Alphega member pharmacies and partners are collaborating to plan additional support including further product donations.  
• > We take our responsibility to protect the international supply chain, serve our customers and patients, and make timely decisions seriously. As a business we remain 100% committed to ensuring continued supply and access to medicines and essential healthcare products to the communities across our network.

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

Alliance Healthcare celebrates Thank You Day

Today (4 March) is being celebrated as Thank You Day at Alliance Healthcare and is about appreciating all our colleagues, (front line and beyond) as we stop and say thanks for all their hard work every day and especially during the pandemic. 

The event is taking place across all Alliance Healthcare countries, in support of World Appreciation Day, as recognised by our AmerisourceBergen colleagues. Celebratory events will be taking place across the business to get as many colleagues involved as possible.

Marie Evans, Managing Director, Alliance Healthcare is excited to be involved and told us:

“I am extremely grateful to all our committed team members across our entire organisation, from operations that pick and pack the medicines to fulfil customer orders, to our support services and sales teams across every site and function, those in the supply chain, product sourcing and to our 1,000+ driver colleagues who deliver these medicines to healthcare professionals across the UK. Today is about celebrating and recognising all that our team members do, for that I am truly grateful.”

Latest news from UKHSA: Lateral flow device (LFD) test kit distribution

England only:

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 21st February 2022 and the publication of the Government policy document – COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19 – free COVID-19 mass testing will end from 1st April 2022.

This means the last day on which the Pharmacy Collect service will operate will be 31st March 2022.

PSNC, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working together on the final plans for the end of the service.

Whilst over the last few days contractors have seen an unsurprising increase in requests for test kits and that has also increased the number of orders being placed with Alliance Healthcare, resulting in temporary out of stocks in some distribution centres, UKHSA has confirmed that they continue to have good stock levels.

To ensure an even distribution of lateral flow tests across the country, UKHSA are planning future deliveries across all test distribution channels. Alliance Healthcare’s last delivery of tests from the UKHSA warehouse will be on 18th March 2022. Pharmacies will be able to order for a short period of time after that date.

UKHSA ask that all orders for kits placed by contractors with Alliance Healthcare should be based on the current need, driven by demand from citizens, rather than trying to cover future demand.

Further details about the service end, including information on final payment claims, will be provided to contractors as soon as those details have been finalised.

Working together to support the patient

In the week following the introduction of the Living with Covid plan from government including the end to self- isolation regulations and an announcement on the end of free tests from 1st April, Alliance Healthcare and our pharmacy contractors have done a great job of meeting demand.

In England, Alliance Healthcare will have distributed over 6 million tests this week, meeting all orders from pharmacies.

There has been good availability of lateral flow device (LFD) test kits, and any temporary out of stock occurrence have been resolved on the same day. Indeed, UKHSA distributed over 7.5 million tests to Alliance Healthcare this week.

Information from Alliance Healthcare:

UK & NI:
Alliance Healthcare continue to work with the UKHSA on the distribution of lateral flow tests to support the Pharmacy Collect scheme.

For latest PIP codes please visit myahportal.co.uk

Latest news from UKHSA: Living with Covid announcement

England only:

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 21 February that free mass testing will end from 1 April, this means that the Pharmacy Collect service will end on 31 March. UKHSA will work with its distributors, NHSEI and the PSNC on a smooth transition to the end of the service.

UKHSA continues to have good stock levels and will manage these to provide flexibility in future. Ahead of the end of free universal testing in England, it will be necessary for UKHSA to cap the number of tests distributed each day to manage demand. Given that advice to test has and continues to reduce, the Government urges people only to order what they need.

We will be in touch with pharmacy contractors with details such as final claims, test kits and orders.

Information from Alliance Healthcare:

UK & NI:
Alliance Healthcare continue to work with the UKHSA on the distribution of lateral flow tests to support the Pharmacy Collect scheme.

For latest PIP codes please visit myahportal.co.uk