As schools and universities closed back in March, Tadcaster Medical Centre recruited two trainee dispensers and two delivery drivers who were students taking a break from their studies, to ensure patients continued to received their medicines throughout the peak of coronavirus.

The GP practice employed 19 year old Georgia, a student at Nottingham University, 18 year old Elinor who was studying her A Levels in Harrogate, 20 year old Euan, a medical student in Edinburgh and 25 year old Adam, an Art Technician in a secondary school in London to expand their team as well as covering existing staff who were themselves absent due to shielding.

A delivery dispensing service had never been offered to patients before but within two weeks, the new team had delivered crucial medicines to all patients over 60 or on the shielding list. During the first two days the drivers covered over 100 miles per day within the practice area.

This service ran from April to August and was very well received by the patients. It took a lot of coordination initially which was done by the two temporary trainees allowing the experienced team members to keep up with demand.

Dawn Hall, Pharmacy Dispenser, Tadcaster Medical Centre said: “At the start of the pandemic two dispensers had to shield immediately, this put huge pressure on the remaining team especially as demand skyrocketed and so the trainees have been a huge benefit to our practice and patients. They were very much a part of the team and will be missed.

“Patients loved being delivered to but now that services have resumed, feedback from patients shows that they really enjoy the normality of coming to collect their prescriptions and having a chat with the team.”

The trainee dispensers and delivery drivers have returned to their schools and universities however the trainees will return to Tadcaster Medical Centre to cover the winter holidays. They hope to reach their 1000 hours over time as well as completing their Buttercups training, a qualification for dispensing doctors initiated by GP practices as part of the Dispensing Quality Scheme.

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