A team, which quickly set up a new system to supply medication to care home residents affected by Covid-19 has been shortlisted for a major national award which is determined by the results of a public vote.

The Forth Valley Primary Care Multidisciplinary Team has been shortlisted in the People’s Choice category of this year’s Scottish Health Awards, after a mammoth task to support more than 2,000 residents in the area’s 66 care homes.

When the Covid-19 pandemic began a swift response was required to help to help get medicines to vulnerable older people so that they would be immediately available for use, if required. The multidisciplinary team involved a wide range of staff, including local GPs, hospital and community based pharmacists and nurses as well as care home leads and staff from Strathcarron Hospice.

Together the team devised a system which allowed GPs to prescribe in advance for care home residents who they felt were potentially at risk of severe symptoms due to Covid-19. This meant medicines to alleviate the symptoms could be obtained and administered quickly, day or night, if required.

The new medication process was put in place within 72 hours supported by a comprehensive training programme for GPs and care home staff to support the management of residents affected by Covid in the following weeks and months. New transport and Covid hubs were also established to manage all communications.

Clare Colligan, NHS Forth Valley’s Lead Pharmacist for Primary Care, said: “This was a true team effort where an enormous amount of people across multiple disciplines pulled together to set this up this initiative in a matter of days and kept it running for an extended period of time.

“When I think back on this, I am amazed at how we got this up and running so quickly, got all the stakeholders on board, trained the staff in their different roles and got involved in an education programme for care home staff and GPs.

“Everyone pulled together and supported each other to make this new system happen to ensure vital medication was available in local care homes to support residents who quickly became unwell.”

Local people can vote for the Forth Valley Team on the People Choice’s Award section of the Scottish Health Awards website or you can call 0800 031 9104 and enter the 4-digit code for the Forth Valley Primary Care Multidisciplinary Team which is 0001.

Voting is open now and closes on Friday 8th October 2021 at 5.00pm. Other award finalists will be announced at the beginning of October 2021.