Pharmacists employed by a company that provides clinical services to the NHS have been working closely with GPs to provide patients suffering from respiratory conditions with remote consultations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Interface Clinical Services, which is headquartered in Leeds and has more than 90 office-based pharmacists who provide support and answers to health-related questions, said its pharmacists are delivering nearly 13,000 consultations with patients over the phone on areas such as inhaler technique.

The patients receiving support via the service, which was contracted out by Mid & South Essex Health and Care Partnership, have been drawn from 50 GP practices across five clinical commissioning groups.

Interface said it has also been working with CCGs, primary care networks and practices to provide remote consultations via video and telephone for people with COPD and diabetes and at-risk warfarin patients.

“In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, our clinical pharmacists have been directly supporting practices and PCNs by providing reviews for patients with long-term conditions via telephone or video consultation,” said Jack Birchall, Interface’s head of service development.

“With access to normal healthcare services severely restricted, these have been a vital link, ensuring the wellbeing of patients whilst reducing the need for patients to visit their surgery.”