Alliance Healthcare Reduces its Use of Single-Use Plastic Bags and Cardboard Boxes

Alliance Healthcare has started to roll out new reusable tote bins to replace plastic bags and cardboard packaging to its Health and Beauty customers.

Every year, over 2 million units of single-use plastic bags and cardboard boxes will be removed from its operations, considerably lessening Alliance Healthcare's carbon footprint.

The new reusable tote bins will be available in two sizes to consolidate customer orders and reduce the number of packages in circulation, minimising product damage and supporting Alliance Healthcare's commitment to reduce its impact on the environment.

Jon Cornforth, Environment, Health and Safety Manager, says: "Reducing plastic waste has globally become an important issue over the last couple of years and we have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment. By replacing plastic bags and cardboard packaging with our reusable totes we can reduce waste and move away from our reliance on plastic in our operations."

The totes are white with black lids and feature the Alliance Healthcare branding as well as a new Health and Beauty icon.

Alliance Healthcare site in Letchworth celebrates 30 years of delivering medicines

Employees have marked 30 years of Letchworth Service Centre, with a special birthday celebration.

The site was officially opened in 1990 by Kenneth Clarke, Secretary of State for Health at the time, who welcomed colleagues that had moved to the new site from Willesdon in north west London.

Over 430 colleagues in the local area are employed at the site and 46 have over 20 years' service.

Brian Smith is the longest serving employee at Letchworth and the second longest serving at Alliance Healthcare. He says: "I moved across from Willesdon to Letchworth when it first opened in 1990. I like working here, I've been well looked and I like the people. I'm proud that I've been part of the team for nearly 48 years and been able to support the NHS, particularly during Covid-19."

At 85,000 square feet, Letchworth is one of the biggest service centres in the Alliance Healthcare network, delivering on average 200,000 medicines on a twice daily* basis to over 3,200 pharmacies, hospitals and GP surgeries across East Anglia, north London and as far west as Oxford. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic over 343,000 units were being despatched.

David Fussey, Service Centre Manager, says: "I feel immensely proud to be able to celebrate 30 years of Letchworth. I've never worked for a business where I have been able to celebrate such an important milestone. The team is very dedicated and always puts the customer first."

*Two deliveries every week day and one on Saturdays as agreed with the customer

Class 3 Recall on Irinotecan Vial 20mg/Ml

Accord Healthcare Limited is recalling the above batch as a precautionary measure, due to the observation of precipitation in the solution in the same batch marketed in another country (Malta). No complaints or adverse reaction reports have been received by the company to date for the UK product.

Class 4 Caution in Use on Ecalta 100mg Powder For Concentrate For Solution For Infusion

Pfizer Limited has informed us that the packs for the above batches have not been packaged with the current version of the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) containing updated storage instructions of the infusion solution in section 5.

Class 4 Caution in Use on Ibuprofen 200mg And 400mg Tablets

Aspar Pharmaceuticals Limited has informed us that the Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) within the ibuprofen packs below are missing some information identified from post-marketing experience that should be documented in Section 3 (How To Take The Tablets) and Section 4 (Possible Side Effects) of the PIL.

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

Class 4 Caution in Use on Trimogal 100mg And 200mg Tablets

Ennogen Pharma Limited has informed us that the Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) within the packs for the affected batches below contain an error in Section 3 (How To Take Trimogal Tablets) with regard to the dosage instructions for children under 6 years.

Theramex UK – Solus RWA Agreement

From 1 July 2020, Alliance Healthcare UK will become the sole wholesaler to supply the Theramex product portfolio, including Evorel, to all pharmacies, Hospitals, and dispensing doctors in the United Kingdom. If you have any queries, please speak to your Alliance Healthcare Account Manager.

Recall on PHE TYPE IIR FACEMASKS

Although these masks meet the breathability, filtration and splash resistance requirements of BS EN 14683, in light of ongoing monitoring, further complaints reported and testing from the manufacturer on the masks. There is a risk to staff wearing the mask if the foam strip on the mask flakes and enters their airway or mouth. There have also been complaints of the ties and/or stitching coming away from the mask.

Please return all affected stock to Alliance Healthcare for replacement stock only. No credit will be issued as part of this Recall. Replacement stock will be issued once received from Department of Health and Social Care.

Please ensure that all stock is returned by Wednesday 22nd of July 2020 any stock returned after this date will not be eligible for replacement.

The affected products' details are as follows:

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

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.

Annex 1 – Lot numbers of BWM028 Cardinal Type IIR masks 0120GLP09 0517CLP10 0302FLP09 0517JLP09 0305HLP09 0518CLP10 0310GLP09 0518LLP09 0321FLP09 0518LLP09 0321FLP09 0519ALP10 0327FLP09 0519KLP09 0402HLP09 0519MLP09 0408HLP09 0520CLP10 0411FLP09 0520JLP09 0411HLP09 0520LLP09 0413HLP09 0521KLP09 0416HLP09 0521MLP09 0419HLP09 0522ALP10 0422HLP09 0522LLP09 0425HLP09 0523CLP10 0428HLP09 0523JLP09 0431HLP09 0523MLP09 0501ALP10 0524KLP09 0502BLP10 0524LLP09 0502CLP10 0525ALP10 0502LLP09 0525JLP09 0503DLP10 0526CLP10 0503JLP09 0526LLP09 0503KLP09 0526MLP09 0504ALP10 0527KLP09 0504LLP09 0528JLP09 0505BLP10 0528LLP09 0506ALP10 0529CLP10 0506JLP09 0529KLP09 0506KLP09 0529MLP09 0506LLP09 0530JLP09 0508DLP10 0531CLP10 0508KLP09 0531KLP09 0508MLP09 0509JLP09 0510KLP09 0511ALP10 0511JLP09 0511MLP09 0513ALP10 0513KLP09 0513MLP09 0514JLP09 0516ALP10 0516KLP09 0516MLP09

Alliance Healthcare News

Class 2 Recall on Desmopressin Nasal Spray (All Strengths)

Ferring Pharmaceuticals Limited is recalling all unexpired stock of the below batches of products from pharmacies and wholesalers as a precautionary measure due to a lower volume of solution being observed in the bottles, and out of specification results for the content of the desmopressin acetate (active substance) and benzalkonium chloride (excipient).

Class 2 Recall on Nitrofurantoin Tablets 50mg

Dr Reddy's Laboratories (UK) Limited is recalling all unexpired stock of the above batch of Nitrofurantoin 50mg Tablets from pharmacies and wholesalers as a precautionary measure due to out of specification results for dissolution during routine stability testing.