NEWS & EVENTS

Historic pharmacy opens its doors to Covid-19 vaccination patients

NEWS - 1ST JANUARY 2021

John Bell & Croyden, pharmacist to the Queen, joins the coronavirus vaccination programme

Archive image of John Bell & Croyden

John Bell & Croyden, the historic Harley Street Medical Area pharmacy, carried on dispensing medicines through two world wars and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. On 30th January, as part of the rollout of the NHS’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, this famous Marylebone institution ramped up its involvement in the fight against the latest threat to public health by inoculating its first patients against the coronavirus.

The pharmacy, which opened in 1798 and has been the official pharmacist to the Queen since 1958, will provide vaccines to 800 people a week. This figure will rise to 1,200 from 4th February, a rate of one patient every seven minutes.

Accessible healthcare
Robin Winfield, operations director of John Bell & Croyden, says: “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 providers, 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.”

In line with the priority groups set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), patients will be provided with the option to book their vaccination appointment at John Bell & Croyden through the NHS’ booking system.