Published on October 21st, 2020 | by Bibhuranjan

How Has Coronavirus Impacted Pharmaceutical Distribution in the UK?

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on many of our lives as it has continued to force huge parts of the country into tighter lockdown restrictions. But with several changes to the way we shop as well as changes to the distribution of medical products, how has the virus continued to affect this?

Higher Demand For Medication And PPE

One of the main ways that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected medical distribution is through the high demand for PPE and medication. At the beginning of the pandemic, there were several hospitals and local Gp’s that did not have the right PPE to do the job. This, therefore, meant that lives were at risk. As a result, several companies then began to make PPE and were looking for companies to help sell them.

Increased Delivery Time Slots

As a result of the increased need for PPE and medication, there has also been an increased need for delivery slots to keep up with the supply and demand. This has been a blessing in disguise for this sector as it has meant an opening for new jobs as a result of the pandemic as manufactures have had to almost double there production time to keep up with the ongoing rise in orders. As this has continued this has led to a closer relationship between the manufactures and pharmaceutical distributors UK services.

Covid Secure Workplaces And Deliveries

Another aspect that has changed as a direct result of the pandemic is the need for a Covid-secure workplace. With several regulations put in place and the need for masks at all time, this has meant that not only the manufacturing process, but the distribution process has had to change in order to accommodate this. This is likely to continue even when cases fall again as this will limit the amount of human interaction and ensure that everyone is safe from the potential transmission of the disease moving forward. This will also ensure that distribution does not get halted by delivery drivers being off sick.

Closer Relationships With Manufactures

As the distribution process has continued to evolve throughout the course of the pandemic, there have been several changes to the relationship between these companies and the manufacturers. As the deliveries have increased, so too has the reliance on the reliance on the distribution company. With every delivery coming in thick and fast, the need for a reliable distribution company has surged. This has therefore meant that this industry, as well as some of the others working directly in the medical field, have benefitted greatly from this as they have been needed to ensure that there is no form of medical shortage as a result.

Increased Workload

With many people in the UK panic buying, there had also been a huge shortage in the number of basic medications on the shelves. This was affecting not only local supermarkets but the pharmacies as well. This is where the help of manufacturers and distributors came in. It was down to them to take on the increased workload and ensure that the pharmacies and the supermarkets up and down the UK had access to the hand soaps, medication and PPE that they needed to be able to supply the general public.

Increase In Distribution Companies

Another aspect of distribution that has also changed during the pandemic is the number of distribution companies that are out there. With several companies obtaining licences to do so as part of a government scheme, this meant that the distribution process was split up between several companies within the field. This was another blessing in disguised for the industry in terms of jobs as well as the distribution process itself as it allowed for businesses to get shipments of PPE and medication significantly faster than it would be if it was under the sole responsibility of one individual company.

This was also seen within the manufacturing and distribution of PPE as a government scheme in the UK allowed for several businesses to not only manufacture this form of PPE but also make sure that it gets to the places that need it the most. This of course helped to speed up the production of PPE and allowed for hospitals and other medical establishments to remain open and serving people throughout the course of the pandemic. Despite these new companies stepping in to help, it is the insight into the supply chain management that is set to help the industry the most.

As the landscape that we are living in continues to change, so too does the way that pharmaceutical distribution continues to shape the medical sector as a whole, particularly throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. How do u think pharmaceutical distribution will change in the future?

Tags: Coronavirus, covid, pharmaceutical distributors UK, UK

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.