Community pharmacists to be included in the NHS Life Assurance Scheme

Families of pharmacists who die after contracting Covid-19 will receive life assurance coverage, the health minister Matt Hancock has confirmed.

In a tweet this morning, Matt Hancock said that he was ‘glad to be able to confirm’, the community pharmacists will be covered by the death in service, meaning those families of staff who die after contracting Covid-19 will receive £60,000 as a cash sum. 

I’m glad to be able to confirm that community pharmacists are included in our death in service benefits. Because they are employed in a different way, it is arranged in a different way, but pharmacists are a vital part of our NHS family. They are of course covered

— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) April 30, 2020

He added: 'Because [community pharmacists] are employed in a different way, it is arranged in a different way, but pharmacists are a vital part of our NHS family. They are of course covered.’ 

This news comes after the Department of Health (DH) told the Pharmacist that families of pharmacy team members who die after contracting Covid-19 will only receive life assurance coverage in ‘exceptional circumstances.’

The NHS scheme – launched earlier this week (27 April) - is time-limited and will provide financial cover for those frontline staff who died during the pandemic only.

The DH are yet to confirm if this benefit extends to all pharmacy team members.

More to follow...