John Bell & Croyden pharmacy – which has remained open through two world wars and the Spanish Flu – has today opened its doors to its first patients as part of the NHS’ vaccination programme rollout.
The pharmacy, which opened in 1798 and has been the pharmacist to Her Majesty the Queen since 1958, will vaccinate 800 people a week. This figure will rise to 1200 from the 4th February 2021 – 1 patient every 7 minutes.
The flagship store in London’s Harley Street Medical Area is the first McKesson UK community pharmacy to participate in the vaccine rollout.
Toby Anderson, CEO of McKesson UK, said:
“McKesson UK is proud to be playing its part in the national vaccination effort. “John Bell & Croyden has played a historic role in the development of healthcare across the UK and this will be the second global pandemic it has lived through. Today marks another remarkable milestone for the pharmacy.
“Community pharmacy, with a presence in every corner of the UK, is vital in the rollout of the vaccine. With over 1,400 Lloyds Pharmacies and trained staff across the country, we are in ongoing discussions with the NHS and Government about what more we can do to help over the coming months.”
Robin Winfield, Operations Director of John Bell & Croyden, explains:
“We are delighted to be able to play our part in supporting the Government’s nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme.
“Pharmacists have always been the most accessible healthcare provider and at a time of stretched resources have shown we can help to maximise the efficiency of our healthcare system, be it through testing, increasing access to medicine, or vaccination.
“The pandemic may have put our skills to the test – but it has also allowed pharmacists to show their true potential and allowed customers to find the real value of the pharmacist.”
Patients – in line with the priority groups set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) – will be provided the option to book their vaccination appointment at John Bell & Croyden through the NHS’ booking system.
