Welsh Government
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Expert group to review pharmacy services in Wales
The Task and Finish Group will look at all aspects of the current Community Pharmacy contract and how community pharmacists can play a greater role in delivering high quality healthcare to Welsh patients. It will also look at the provision of enhanced services from community pharmacies, with a view to standardising the availability and specifications of those services across Local Health Board areas.
In addition, the Group will focus on how to reduce the amount of medication wasted each year in Wales and will be looking specifically at chronic conditions management and admission and discharge to and from hospital.
Health Minister, Edwina Hart, said:
“I recognise that pharmacists have a wealth of experience to offer patients a range of healthcare advice and support. Pharmacists already offer advice to help people improve their health, such as quitting smoking or promoting good sexual health but they also offer support for people to manage their chronic conditions or help with minor conditions.
“I have met with Community Pharmacy Wales, the Welsh Directorate of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the National Pharmacy Association and I have made it clear that I am keen to utilise the skills and experience of pharmacists even further. The One Wales document commits the Welsh Assembly Government to ensuring improved access to services including pharmacy-based drop-in centres as a way of improving access to primary care services.”
Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy Wales, Paul Gimson, said:
“We welcome this initiative as the next step in bringing more NHS healthcare services direct to people in an accessible, and cost effective, way through more than 700 community pharmacies in towns, villages and high streets all around Wales.”
Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association, John Turk, said:
“We are delighted that the Welsh Assembly Government is determined to extend the role and contribution of community pharmacies and we will play our part in full in supporting how pharmacy services in Wales develop.
“We know first-hand of the Minister’s commitment to this initiative and we will bring to bear the experience, skills and knowledge of NPA members in Wales and beyond to deliver improved health outcomes for patients and the public.”
Chairman of the Welsh Pharmacy Board of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Marc Donovan, said:
"We welcome the work of this group which will bring a clear focus to the solutions that pharmacy can provide in improving services for the people of Wales. We are delighted that the Welsh Assembly Government is taking steps to build on the work that we have undertaken in recent years to explore and promote the role of the pharmacist in chronic conditions management, as independent prescribers and in proactively using pharmacy premises in the delivery of care in the community."
The Task and Finish group is due to submit a draft report to the National Advisory Board In July 2009, with a final report expected by November 2009.
