‘WBA senior leaders share COVID-19 lessons learned’ – Matt Addison, Alliance Healthcare’s Director of Operations UK, shares his experience during the pandemic

We are delighted to share a fantastic thought leadership story published in WBA’s digital magazine titled ‘WBA senior leaders share COVID-19 lessons learned’, and features our very own Director or Operations, Matt Addison.

Matt shares his experience during the pandemic and praises operations colleagues who worked collaboratively to run the service centres, cross dock network and transport organisation during this time. Matt says: “The COVID-19 pandemic has seen Alliance Healthcare face possibly the most challenging period of its history. Our operations colleagues have played such a critical part in supporting the NHS and patients across the UK. We are classified as essential workers by the UK government, and without our people, the country would not have made it this far.

My Alliance Healthcare operations colleagues have astounded me throughout the last year, and their stories of resilience, teamwork, and going the extra mile are many. I’ve always believed that working collaboratively and trusting in my leadership team has been key to our combined success, and the impact of the pandemic has only served to reinforce this belief. For a portion of 2020, I also faced a personal challenge and if I hadn’t been able to leave work behind and trust my team to lead our operation to success, then I don't believe I would have been able to successfully overcome the obstacles I faced.

During the pandemic, we’ve taken steps to restructure the operations leadership team, and that is in no small part due to the management changes and responsibilities that we had to employ during this period. I have great leaders in place to run the service center network, cross dock center and transport organization. This will continue beyond the pandemic and will become the new Alliance Healthcare way of working.”

You can see all the other stories featured in this article by following the link to the WBA digital magazine here: https://www.walgreensbootsalliance.com/news-media/our-stories/wba-senior-leaders-share-covid-19-lessons-learned

Alliance Healthcare continues to support pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic

To support the mass vaccination agenda, our services arm, Skills in Healthcare will be delivering interactive COVID-19 vaccination training sessions to all healthcare professionals eligible to administer COVID-19 vaccines, as well as vaccination support workers in the lead up to their anticipated involvement in the vaccination programme.

Skills in Healthcare is delighted to be offering support to community pharmacists by providing these informative webinars, in collaboration with Charles Bloe Training. In 2020, Charles Bloe Training won Coursecheck’s ‘Brilliance Award’, the highest rated training provider in their medium-sized organisation category.

The virtual sessions aim to complement their mandatory COVID-19 e-Learning and/or practical training to ensure they have the knowledge, skills and confidence to fulfil their vital role in the programme when the opportunity arises. Healthcare professionals and vaccination support workers are receiving expert knowledge and practical demonstrations, delivered by specialist nurse trainers who are administering the vaccine at present.

Sanjay Pathak, National Pharma Services Manager Skills in Healthcare, said: “As part of the Alliance Healthcare team, we are committed to supporting community pharmacy where we can. We are proud to be helping our Pharmacy COVID-19 heroes with their vaccination training and education in readiness for when their involvement in the programme begins”. 

For more information on our COVID-19 vaccination training webinars, please click here. 

Company Led - Class 2 Recall (Customer Level) SMA Wysoy Soya Infant Formula 800g Class type: Company Led - Class 2 Recall (Customer Level)

The recall of SMA Wysoy is a food safety recall due to potential presence of foreign bodies (pieces of plastic scoops). Nestlé has undertaken it on a voluntary basis.

The affected products' details are as follows:

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  

Alphega Pharmacy helps vaccinate the nation with launch of around 60 COVID-19 centres

Alphega UK has started delivering COVID-19 vaccinations to communities across the UK. Over 40 members are administering the vaccine from consultation rooms within their independent community pharmacies, with another 20 to open in the next few weeks.

Alphega Pharmacy is a leading European network of independent pharmacists. Throughout the pandemic, it has helped members by supporting application and submissions to become certified COVID-19 sites, providing over 30,000 pieces of social distancing material, launching a COVID-19 hub with resources, toolkits and signage, providing more than 3,000 face visors and over 800 digital tablets to allow pharmacists to carry out remote patient consultations, and giving practical support to customers in reception and recovery areas.

Raj Nutan, Head of Alphega Pharmacy, said: “Alphega is incredibly proud to be part of this national effort to protect our local communities against COVID-19.  Community pharmacies are often at the heart of areas where there are higher levels of health challenges and vaccine hesitancy.”

Dhimant Patel, Pharmacist and owner of Healthways Pharmacy in Harrow, London said: “We have all seen the effect that COVID-19 has had on our local communities across the UK. As primary healthcare providers, independent pharmacies are well established in their local areas and are ideally placed to help in the fight against the virus.

“We’re delighted to be part of the solution to fight the coronavirus pandemic. We have long been a partner to the NHS and we believe that this vaccination programme is something we have a key role to play in, particularly in reassuring patients, dispelling myths and misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines and boosting uptake.”

Patients will be invited directly by the NHS to book their vaccination appointment at Alphega pharmacies.

Easter 2021 Bank Holiday Opening Hours now available

To help keep our customers informed of changes to our service, we have published our Easter 2021 Bank Holiday opening hours. 

Please click here to find out more

Class 4 Drug Alert (Caution in use only) Caffeine Citrate 10mg/Ml Solution For Injection

Macarthys Laboratories Limited T/A Martindale Pharma has informed us that the EAN barcode on the outer carton of the above batch is incorrect. When scanned, the incorrect barcode shows the batch as Martindale Pharma’s Methylthioninium Chloride Injection 1% 10 X 10ml, which has been discontinued. All other information on the outer carton (including the 2D code), as well as the immediate packaging, is correct.

The affected products' details are as follows:

Please note that Alliance Healthcare do not stock and we are not accepting stock returns.

For more information or medical information queries, please contact: medinfo@ethypharm.co.uk   

For stock control queries, please contact: Alan.josiah@ethypharm.com

Field Safety Notice Cirrus2 Nebuliser, Adult, Intersurgical Ecolite Mask Kit With Tube, 2.1m, 1453015

Intersurgical Ltd have received complaints where a product that should contain an Adult EcoliteTM Aerosol Mask with vents/exhalation ports, has been found to contain a similar mask without vents/exhalation ports, this would prevent the patient breathing normally. If a mask without vents/exhalation ports is not identified and subsequently used on a patient, in situations where the patient cannot or does not remove the mask themselves this could result in distress, harm or potential fatality. It would also prevent the intended treatment being provided to the patient.

The affected products' details are as follows:

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.

This Field Safety Notice will remain open for 3 months from the date issued unless an alternative date is agreed by instigator. The closure of this will be 16/06/2021. Please note after this date customer returns may still be accepted but customers may not be credited.

Recipients of this Drug Alert should bring it to the attention of relevant contacts.

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

Class 3 Recall Itraconazole 10mg/Ml Oral Solution 150ml

Thame Laboratories are recalling the above batches due to an issue with the container closure (child-resistant cap). The Marketing Authorisation Holder has received a number of complaints regarding the child-resistant caps which were difficult to open, and their investigation has identified an issue with the bottle capping process during the manufacture of the product.

The affected products' details are as follows:

For more information or medical information queries, please contact customer.services@syrimed.co.uk  

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.

This recall will remain open for 3 months from the date issued unless an alternative date is agreed by instigator. The closure of this will be 15/06/2021. Please note after this date customer returns may still be accepted but customers may not be credited.

Recipients of this Drug Alert should bring it to the attention of relevant contacts.

If you have any questions, then please contact your local service centre customer service team.

Stay alert online

Important notice: Please be extra careful with all online activity and remember that Alliance Healthcare will never inform you solely by email message of changes to our bank account details. Please report any suspicious email, call, or communication by calling 0203 0440 8928.

Class 4 Drug Alert Diazepam 2mg/5ml Oral Solution Sugar Free Class type: Class 4 Drug Alert (Caution in use only)

Accord-UK Ltd have informed us that important safety warnings for the excipient Propylene glycol are missing from the patient information leaflet (PIL) used in the above batches(including the batches waiting QP certification) which should be present in accordance with the current annex  to the Excipient Guidelines. Additionally, the warnings for sorbitol need updating although similar warnings are already present. The product is not subject to recall due to supply and shortage considerations

The affected products' details are as follows:

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

For more information or medical information queries, please contact:

Accord-UK Ltd Medical Information Department on 01271 385257

For stock control queries, please contact: Accord-UK Ltd Customer Services Team on 0800 373573

Recipients of this Drug Alert should bring it to the attention of relevant contacts.