Pharmacy promoted to politicians
Health minister John Hutton addresses a fringe meeting held at the
Labour Party Conference |
Pharmacy organisations have worked together to promote pharmacy's role at the recent political party conferences.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the National Pharmaceutical Association,
the Pharmaceutical Service Negotiating Committee and the Company Chemists
Association held fringe meetings at both the Labour and Liberal Democrat
party conferences.
At the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth this week, the pharmacy
organisations held two fringe meetings in collaboration with the Social
Market Foundation think-tank. The themes of the meetings were “Politicians,
professionals or patients: who should run the NHS?” and “Can
the Government save the NHS?”. Health minister John Hutton spoke
at both meetings.
Similar events, co-organised with the Centre for Reform think-tank, were
held at the Liberal Democrat party conference the previous week. Evan
Harris, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, spoke at the meetings.
Beverley Parkin, the Society’s director of public affairs, commented
that the meetings were a success. “They were a good way of showcasing
pharmacy’s integrated role,” she said. In particular there
had been an emphasis on primary care and support for people with long-term
conditions. |
