The Ask Your Pharmacist Launch at the Houses of Parliament sought to raise awareness of services being provided in community pharmacy to MPs and key stakeholders. The event was hosted by Shadow Health Minister Mark Simmonds MP, with speeches from Health Minister Mike O’Brien MP and John Turk, National Pharmacy Association Chief Executive.

Pharmacists were on hand to talk to MPs and key stakeholders about their experience with patients on 7 community pharmacy health services. The services promoted at the event were; allergy screening, chlamydia testing and treatment, health checks, minor ailments, medicines use reviews, pharmacist prescribing and smoking cessation.

Health Minister Mike O’Brien MP said: “We all have a part to play here in ensuring the public are more aware of what it is that you can do to improve people’s health. That’s why today is such a valuable event, showcasing the services that many of you provide now and which many of more of you will provide in the future.”

Shadow Health Minister Mark Simmonds MP said: “I am delighted to be hosting the Ask Your Pharmacist Week Parliamentary Reception. Community pharmacy has a huge role to play in delivering new NHS services and tackling public health priorities in local communities. There is a real desire and capability to take on more responsibility in the future, and I hope that this event contributes to helping the profession develop in the future.”

John Turk, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association said: “Ask Your Pharmacist Week will promote pharmacists as health champions showcasing the services they provide to encourage wellness, along with the services that treat illness. Today’s pharmacies are enhancing a safe and effective medicines supply function, with services that ensure people get the most out of the medicines they use.”

“Pharmacists play an invaluable role in delivering major NHS services, and in improving the health of the nation, and in future they will be doing even more. Every year nearly 9 out of 10 of us visit a pharmacy - brilliant news - and 60% would like to receive more advice from the pharmacist but are not sure what they could ask. The NPA’s campaign is targeted at making sure everyone knows what services are available from their local pharmacy.”

About AYP Week

‘Ask Your Pharmacist Week’ is taking place during the week beginning Monday 9th November. AYP Week will promote 7 services available from community pharmacy and will encourage the public to access these services. http://www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk will be promoted to the public as a tool to find a community pharmacy that provides the relevant service.

The 7 services being promoted are:

- Allergy Screening
- Chlamydia testing and treatment
- Health Checks (cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI)
- Medicine Use reviews
- Minor Ailments
- Pharmacist Prescribing
- Stop Smoking

Source
National Pharmacy Association

Concerns raised by the Pharmacists’ Division of the Association of Professional
Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia over employees being ‘left out’ of
negotiations for the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement were unfounded, the
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia said today.

President of the PSA, Warwick Plunkett, said the concerns were raised to stimulate a
response from employee pharmacists on issues to be discussed in the CPA
negotiations.

“But these comments are well off target and display a lack of understanding of the CPA
process and other initiatives seeking to promote pharmacists’ expertise in delivering
health policy priorities,” Mr Plunkett said.

“The Community Pharmacy Agreement is only about community pharmacy-based
services and their remuneration.
“Services that should be funded by government and delivered outside of community
pharmacy need to be the subject of a separate agreement with the profession.”
Mr Plunkett said the PSA, with a membership covering 75 per cent of all practicing
pharmacists including employers and employees, was well represented in the
negotiating process and was well placed to look after the interests of employee
pharmacists in the CPA.

“Of course PSA would welcome any direct ideas or comments from all parts of its
membership to guide it on stances to be taken during the negotiations,” he said.
Responding to APESMA concerns over the future direction of pharmacy, Mr Plunkett
said: “PSA agrees that Government should be, and no doubt is, having dialogue with
the other major pharmacy organisations on issues affecting the profession but not on
those issues relevant to CPA.

“The future direction of Pharmacy is the subject of a Green and White Paper process
recently initiated by PSA and which will include input from all sectors of pharmacy
during its development.

“Professional services relating to Primary Health Care and Preventive Health Care
delivery by community pharmacies will be put forward in the negotiations for CPA5 but
could be subject to attracting funding and support from other areas.”

Source
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia