A pharmacist has praised the overwhelming community response which has seen volunteers sign up to take calls and even donate their premises to help.

Dr Sohail Karim, a director at Hempstead Pharmacy in Gillingham, says the practice had been buckling under the strain of "excessive demand" for prescriptions.

Pharmacies across Kent were told last week by Public Health they could close their stores intermittently to restock and give staff a break.

He said the community has since come together in a show of unity he had not expected.

"The people who I thought would show up and help out I have not heard anything from. But the people I didn't expect, they have helped the most.

"We are here for the community. This is about trying to look after the community, looking after their needs."

Dr Karim said he could call upon a "dedicated database of volunteers" who had gone above and beyond the call of duty.

This is something he said he could not imagine happening at a major chain pharmacy.

He reserved special mention for neighbouring business owner, Sharon Stewart, who runs fabric shop Strictly No Magnolia.

The pharmacist described her as the "angel next door" after she opened up her facility for them to place call handlers.

Now the temporarily shut store is filled with volunteers who are able to handle requests for prescriptions on the pharmacy's behalf.

Some, like Dr Karim, even deliver prescriptions to those isolated patients unable to leave their homes after their shift has finished.

The director had an urgent message for patients and called for calm when queuing up to collect orders.

He said: "We don't want panic. We have the medicines, we just need time to dispense them."

It comes after Dr Karim recalled how colleagues had been subjected to a torrent of verbal threats from impatient customers.

He said: "It has saddened me that we have had recent incidents where many patients and certain members of the public are placing unfair stress, pressurising with impatience and uncalled-for attitude as well as being unnecessarily rude to my staff who are working tirelessly for the entire day.

"By the end of our working session, we are physically and mentally exhausted.

"I need everyone who visits us to understand that we are only human, we have feelings, have families who we are also worried for and now cannot be with.

"Working together during this difficult time will help us keep the flow of medicines reasonable and fair for all."

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