COMPANY LED CLASS 2 RECALL - PI APROVEL TAB 150MG

Potentially contaminated with an impurity

MHRA drug alert link: N/A

For further information please contact:

Sales and customer service

Rebecca Platts: Rebecca.platts@doncatser-pharm.com

01302552961

Quality Assurance

Richard Gore: Richard.Gore@doncaster-pharm.com

01302554805 or out of hours 07736297267  

Please return all affected stock to your original supplier for credit. Unfortunately we can only accept stock purchased from us (Alliance Healthcare Distribution Limited). Any other stock will be returned to your stores/Pharmacies.

Please note that anything not returned to us, or notified to us, within 3 months of this notification, cannot be reimbursed by way of a credit.

COVID absence and driver shortages continue across the country and, as a business, we are working hard to mitigate the situation.

COVID absence

COVID absence across the network continues to affect service centres and drivers. However, these numbers are decreasing and now that our critical teams are exempt from Test and Trace isolations, the situation continues to improve.

Driver shortages

Our recruitment drive is progressing well and we are seeing good numbers of strong applicants and new drivers into the business. This means we have a lot of new members to train and it can take time for new drivers to learn our processes and routes. If you happen to meet one of our new colleagues please take the time to say ‘hello’ and make their on-boarding as smooth as possible.

As well as new drivers we have also taken the opportunity to move some of our experienced drivers around the country to help out at hot spots where we have seen service disruption recently. We are grateful to these team members for helping out in this way, travelling across the country and agreeing to leave their homes and stay in hotels to help out with the current situation.

Our main aim is to provide a stable service to you, our customers and, in turn, patients across the UK. This is at the heart of everything we do, and we appreciate your continued dedication.

We will continue to keep you updated on the situation as it evolves.

Alliance Healthcare announces a partnership with Healthera, a leading provider of pharmacy patient apps, to drive forward the digital agenda within community pharmacy.

Alliance Healthcare Partners With Healthera To Bring Digital Revolution To Community Pharmacy

Today, as part of its commitment to drive forward the digital agenda within community pharmacy, we are pleased to announce a partnership with Healthera, a leading provider of pharmacy patient apps.  The ‘Healthera app’ offers local pharmacists the opportunity to gain a competitive edge *.

The OTC drug market is worth £2.6billion#, with dispensed prescriptions items in England worth £9.28billion ##, and with only a small proportion of the market currently believed to be digital, there is an opportunity for all local pharmacies to move into this space.  By subscribing to the Healthera App local pharmacists will be able to benefit from the increasing trend of shopping going digital, as well as address the competitive pressure from online pharmacies.

Over 1,500 pharmacies currently use the Healthera platform to offer their patients a streamlined way of ordering prescriptions, buying over the counter medicines, and booking same-day delivery through the app. 

As part of the partnership, we are actively marketing the Healthera platform to independent pharmacies nationwide that are looking for a solution to secure their patient base and help grow their revenue. Working collaboratively and sharing expertise, the partnership will, in time, offer additional functionality, to maximise the value of the pharmacy’s inventory and clinical expertise, and to continue to help improve pharmacy revenue and efficiency.

Ashley Kilgas, Sales Director at Alliance Healthcare commented, “If the past year has shown anything, it’s the importance of utilising technology to keep connected to each other. The dedication shown by our customers during the pandemic made one thing abundantly clear, they put the care for their patients first.

Our partnership with Healthera is a fantastic step towards making available a suite of digital solutions designed to help pharmacy stay connected with patients and streamline dispensary processes empowering dispensary teams to focus on patients rather than admin.  The Healthera app is built from the ground up to create an intuitive user experience putting interactions with community pharmacy literally in the palm of the patient’s hand.

Initially this will offer fantastic benefits for both patient and pharmacy team, but moving forward we aim to work with Healthera to evolve what the app can offer opening up new revenue opportunities for our customers.”

 Healthera is supporting this partnership by providing in store point of sale for any customers who choose to sign up to the service. This point of sale material will help patients access the app and inform them of some of its benefits.

Quintus Liu, CEO at Healthera commented, “We are pleased to work with the innovative team at Alliance Healthcare that shares our drive to improve the revenue growth of pharmacies and our vision towards providing the one-stop-shop for healthcare eCommerce. Our teams are ready to bring several hundred more pharmacies on-board over the next few months, and announce new offerings right around the corner.”

# Source: Statista, 2020, retail sales £

## Source: NHSBSA, Prescription Cost Analysis England 2020-21

* Alliance Healthcare provides marketing services to Healthera Ltd. If you subscribe for the Healthera app you will contract directly with Healthera Ltd and a monthly subscription fee and terms and conditions will apply. Subscription fees may vary.

Alliance Healthcare Service Centre Opens COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

Thanks to a joint initiative between Wigan Council and the NHS Greater Manchester Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), some of our team members based at Leigh Service Centre received their first COVID-19 vaccination whilst at work.

Four health professionals attended the one day clinic to administer the Pfizer vaccine to 30 team members, who were delighted that they were able to receive their first jab and that it was available to them at their place of work. 

Fran Gray, Warehouse Operations Manager, who led the activity and ensured the smooth running on the day said: “This has been hugely beneficial for our team members that do not have their own transportation, and they have been supported by people they know.”

Commenting on the vaccine clinic Zak Patel, Leigh Service Centre Manager, said: “It’s been fantastic that we have been able to offer the vaccination to some of our team through this one day event.

“Earlier in the year we worked with the council to offer COVID-19 testing to our team and, like the vaccine, it was hugely appreciated.

“We have a good relationship with the local council and we’re happy to work with them on initiatives such as this. I’m also a member of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce which has helped to strengthen our relationships with businesses in the area and Wigan Council.”

Following the success of the vaccine clinic, the council is now looking to roll out the Leigh model to other businesses in the area.

Rosemont Pharmaceuticals – Dual Phoenix Agreement

From 1st August 2021, Alliance Healthcare UK will become one of the chosen wholesalers to supply selected products of Rosemont Pharmaceutical to all pharmacies and dispensing doctors in the United Kingdom. The other wholesaler in this agreement is Phoenix.

If you have any queries, please speak to your Alliance Healthcare Account Manager.

FIELD SAFETY NOTICE - JELONET 5X5CM

Smith & Nephew Medical Ltd. has initiated a field action to voluntarily remove multiple lots of the JELONET 5x5CM. There is a potential for a sterile barrier breach and paraffin leakage due to manufacturing error

MHRA drug alert link: N/A          

Please return all affected stock to your original supplier for credit. Unfortunately we can only accept stock purchased from us (Alliance Healthcare Distribution Limited). Any other stock will be returned to your stores/Pharmacies.

Please note that anything not returned to us, or notified to us, within 3 months of this notification, cannot be reimbursed by way of a credit.

Class 4 Drug Caution in use - AMOXICILLIN SF SOLN 500MG/5ML

Brown & Burk UK Limited would like to notify you of an error regarding specific batches of Amoxicillin 500 mg/ 5 ml Powder for oral suspension, sold and distributed in the UK. The product information incorrectly states the quantity of the excipient sodium benzoate. The actual quantity of sodium benzoate is 3.75mg/5ml. On the PIL it is incorrectly reported as 7.5mg/5ml and in the SmPC it is 15mg/5ml (1.5mg/ml)

MHRA drug alert link: https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts/class-4-medicines-defect-information-amoxicillin-500-mg-slash-5-ml-powder-for-oral-suspension-pl-25298-slash-0248-el-21-a-slash-18?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_source=f29a9822-cac1-4ec1-b4d9-743ca644267c&utm_content=immediately   

This may have been supplied by AHDL. Unfortunately we are not providing specific batch information you will  be required to follow the instructions as per the drug alert.

This is a caution in use only we are not accepting stock returns.

For more information, medical information queries please contact:

Email: pv@bbukltd.com

For stock enquiries please contact:

Email: customercare@bbukltd.com

Tel: 0203 384 7188.

Company Led - Field Safety Notice - BAUSH & LOMB

Bausch + Lomb is conducting a recall of certain lots of Biotrue®, ReNu® and ReNu® MultiPlus Boston® and Boston® Simplus Multi-action, Sensitive Eyes™ and EasySept® contact lens solution since we cannot confirm the compliance of the supplier’s sterilization process used for some components of these products.

MHRA drug alert link: N/A   

If you have any questions, please contact Bausch + Lomb Customer Service.

Email: Pharma_CS@bausch.com

Phone: 0845 602 2350

Please return all affected stock to your original supplier for credit. Unfortunately we can only accept stock purchased from us (Alliance Healthcare Distribution Limited). Any other stock will be returned to your stores/Pharmacies.

If you have any questions, then please contact your local Service Centre Customer Services team.

National Driver shortage

HGV drivers

It has been widely covered in the UK press that there is a shortage of HGV drivers available across the country.

As a business, Alliance Healthcare and all subsidiary companies have a strong network of HGV drivers. One third of our workforce have achieved long service awards, with more than ten years’ experience, and tremendous loyalty to the business. This gives us confidence that we are in a safe place with regard to employment in this sector and our role in supporting the UK patient.

Van drivers

With our daily driver population we are experiencing two main issues: COVID absence rates due to isolations and a recruitment shortage across the country. With one of these complications in isolation our service levels would be maintained, however with both at once, it does cause some difficulties.

You may have recently experienced some missing deliveries on occasion from certain service centres for which we apologise and hope this has not significantly impacted supply to your patients. Please be assured that where this has occurred, we have endeavoured to, and will continue to let you know as soon as possible and provide information through the myahprtal.

How we are mitigating the situation

On a day by day basis, teams across operations are working hard to ensure that these challenges impact service as little as possible. This includes dynamic route changing, prioritisation and altering staffing. There is also an ongoing recruitment drive to encourage drivers to join our business. We encourage you all to refer any individuals to us if they could be suitable for a role.

Committed to supporting our customers and patients

Despite these current challenges, maintaining a stable service to customers remains our priority and we thank you for your continued support. The UK patient is at the heart of everything we do and we appreciate your continued dedication.

We will continue to keep you updated on the situation as it evolves.

Class 4 Drug Caution in use - SEVREDOL 10 MG AND 20MG TABLETS

Napp Pharmaceuticals Limited would like to notify you of an error regarding specific batches of Sevredol 10 mg Tablets and Sevredol 20 mg Tablets, sold and distributed in the UK. The error identified relates to approved safety-related variations to the PIL that were not implemented, resulting in an older version of artwork being used and packed within finished batches

MHRA drug alert link: https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts/class-4-medicines-defect-information-sevredol-10-mg-and-20mg-tablets-pl-16950-slash-0063-pl-16950-slash-0064-el-21-a-slash-17?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_source=584858cd-3f8d-4b3f-8bf2-768eb8caa361&utm_content=immediately

Alliance healthcare do not stock this product therefore we are not accepting stock returns.

For more information, medical information queries or replacement PIL enquiries, please contact: medicalinformationuk@napp.co.uk

For stock control queries, please contact:supplies.uk@napp.co.uk

If you have any questions, then please contact your local Service Centre Customer Services team.