Mansfield District Council and Ashfield District Council have joined forces to help deliver medicines for patients discharged from King's Mill Hospital and Newark Hospital.
Drivers from both authorities have been put on standby to deliver medicines to discharged patients and also to outpatients of the two hospitals after they have had clinical reviews carried out remotely during the Covid-19 emergency.
Mark Clymer, Assistant Chief Pharmacist – Clinical Services Manager for Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "It is hoped this new service will help speed up hospital discharge times during these unprecedented times. We are grateful to local councils coming to our patients' aid in this way and supporting the NHS at this critical time."
Mansfield District Council is co-ordinating this service via a central hub running from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. The service will also be running on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Executive Mayor of Mansfield Andy Abrahams said: "We are delighted to be able to support the NHS in this way and anything that helps to get patients out of hospital more quickly has to be a good thing to do. This is a great example of how the public sector can work in unison to achieve good results."
Cllr Kier Barsby, Cabinet Member for Health at Ashfield District Council, said: "This is a fantastic effort pulled together by public sector colleagues at short notice and over the holiday period. Helping our residents is a priority and we have diverted resources to ensure this happens."