Trust leads on life-saving COVID-19 treatment in the UK
18 February 2022
This week, the news of us leading on the UK’s second antiviral treatment for COVID-19, Pfizer’s Paxlovid, hit the national headlines.
On 11 February, national BBC filmed with our COVID Medicines Delivery Unit (CMDU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital to showcase the incredible work we are doing to roll out the new oral antiviral, Paxlovid, which helps clinically vulnerable patients recover from COVID-19 from the comfort of their own home. In trials, it cut COVID-19 hospital admissions by 88%.
Working with North West London NHS partners, this treatment and approach will support our most deprived communities and will prevent patients from having to come into hospital.
Our first patient, Emily Goldfischer, 51, based in West London (pictured above), was interviewed by BBC medical editor Fergus Walsh on her amazing experience of the Trust.
Emily is immunosuppressed and has also had four doses of vaccine. She contacted her hospital team when she tested positive on a lateral flow test. A prescription for Paxlovid was couriered to her home the same day from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
“I’ve taken it for about two days now and I’m already feeling much better,” she told the BBC. “And it’s been quite reassuring that I’ve been able to get this medication so quickly from the NHS.”
She thanked Dr Sofia Cavill, Consultant in Acute and General Internal Medicine and CMDU Operational Clinical Lead, who has been integral in coordinating the rollout of Paxlovid.
Our Pharmacy and CMDU colleagues have done tremendous work since the unit opened in December 2021.