Out-patient management of COVID-19 infection

There were changes to the Covid Medicines Delivery Unit in July 2026 and it is no longer provided by OUH.

The communication about this change that was sent to ICB colleagues is below:

The CMDU service for patients registered with a GP across Thames Valley ICB from Monday 13th July will be provided by:

• East Berkshire Primary Care OOH service: Are responsible for assessing patients and prescribing treatments

• Community Pharmacies: 10 Community Pharmacies will now be responsible for dispensing (and by exception if needed delivering) prescribed treatment. Details of the participating Pharmacies are available here

• The service requires patients who fall into one of the eligible cohorts as defined by NICE TA878, and by the  Independent Advisory Group, testing positive for COVID-19 to proactively call 03000 24 0000 for assessment (this number will be available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, though depending on time of contact there may be a need to await a call back within 24 hours to be clinically triaged). 

• The number is available via the Directory of Services referrals during out of hours.

• GPs do not need to prescribe or dispense antivirals. 

• GPs do not need to make a referral to the service. Patients in the high-risk subgroups can be advised to self-refer on the number above.

• Whilst self-referral by patients on the above telephone number is the preferred route of access, there is an email, nmab.ebpc@nhs.net which remains active and is available should you for any reason feel the need to refer patients via this route, if doing so please do remember to include current contact information for the patient to enable them to be contacted for triage.