What challenges were you facing?

In 2021, Frimley ICS, faced with setting up an entirely new clinical service to deliver novel Covid therapies to vulnerable patients in the community, were in a very challenging position in terms of available workforce resources within our acute and community providers.

Even when collaborating with our neighbours in Surrey Heartlands ICB, we struggled to identify staff that could deliver infusions for patients in the community. Our acute sites were already experiencing severe capacity pressures and in addition were not a suitable setting to bring immunocompromised patients for treatment.

What solution did you choose?

We approached Pharmaxo to ask if they were in a position to support the establishment of this new service and they were fantastic at stepping up to provide a team of nurses able to deliver infusions for patients in the community but also through their pharmacy team to deliver oral therapies direct to patients’ homes.

“It’s fair to say without Pharmaxo’s and our GP Triage partner, East Berkshire Primary Care’s support I think it would have been almost impossible to establish our CMDU service.”

Mohammed Asghar / Frimley Health and Care ICS Prescribing Governance Lead

How was your experience of working with Pharmaxo?

Pharmaxo showed great professionalism and flexibility in how they engaged with our Covid Medicines Delivery Unit project team and were an intrinsic part in the successful rollout of the service.

Alongside their support for our standard delivery model for the service they also made available a mobile infusion unit meaning in addition to the site we had already designated for infusions in Frimley ICB we were also able to use this mobile unit to establish a community-based infusion site in Surrey Heartlands ICB.

What was the outcome of using Pharmaxo’s clinic service?

It’s fair to say without Pharmaxo’s and our GP Triage partner, East Berkshire Primary Care’s support I think it would have been almost impossible to establish our CMDU service.