Northern Ireland gets new pharmacy strategy
A new strategy for community pharmacy in Northern Ireland was published this week.
Key initiatives for pharmacists outlined in the strategy include a larger
role in health promotion, developing a repeat dispensing scheme, allowing
supply of medicines for common ailments through the health service and
consolidating medicines management services. Implementation of the strategy
will be supported by better use of IT, funding to improve pharmacy premises
and a new contract for community pharmacists.
Launching the strategy, Northern Ireland’s minister for health,
social services and public safety, Angela Smith, said: “Every day
more than 120,000 people — 9 per cent of the population — across
Northern Ireland visit their local pharmacist. This degree of accessibility
presents an enormous opportunity to apply pharmacists’ skills to
enhance the health of the population. The strategy identifies the ways
in which services will be expanded and developed to improve public health
and patient care.”
“Making it better: a strategy for pharmacy in the community” is
available here.
News feature, p180 |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal