The Scottish government has set out procedures for how medicines should be delivered to patients vulnerable to covid-19 who have had to ‘shield’ themselves in their own homes.

The arrangements will apply only where people are not able to use their own networks of so-called ‘prescription buddies’, including family, friends and neighbours, to collect their medicines from their local pharmacy for them.

In a letter to Scotland’s NHS boards, the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Rose Marie Parr says the responsibility to set up and manage new delivery services using humanitarian hub volunteers will rest with local health and social care partnerships.

The government’s guidance goes into detail about how to safely hand over medicines to people who might be infected with coronavirus, including how to leave the medication in an agreed place after knocking on the patient’s door, and to watch to make sure it is collected.

In a move that may restrict the use of volunteers to operate the NHS medicines collection service, the government states that all drivers must have been checked under protecting vulnerable groups legislation and have clearance from Disclosure Scotland.

The government says community pharmacies can continue to deliver to patients, but there is no obligation on them to begin deliveries to a ‘shielded’ patient for the first time.

Ministers have previously estimated that there are around 200,000 people who should ‘shield’ themselves because their medical conditions put them at very high risk should they become ill with covid-19.