Meeting hears that pharmacy fits in with LibDem policy
Liberal Democrats believe that community pharmacists can contribute to their policies of bringing health care closer to people’s homes.
The party’s health spokesman Paul Burstow said, at a fringe meeting
sponsored by pharmacy organisations and held at the party’s conference,
that community pharmacists had a role in local health screening.
After the meeting, Melanie Smaus, public affairs officer for the Pharmaceutical
Services Negotiating Committee, said: “Pharmacy seems to be on
the tip of everyone’s tongues at the moment.”
Beverley Parkin, public affairs director for the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society, added: “Pharmacy had a very good airing. All three contributors
[Mr Burstow, Mike Dixon of the NHS Alliance and Jonathan Ellis of Help
the Aged] referred to the contribution that pharmacy can make in the
management of chronic conditions, the management of self-care and through
community pharmacy-based services, particularly those for elderly people.”
A fringe meeting is also to be hosted at the Conservative Party conference.
A different approach is to be taken at the Labour Party conference next
week. A number of local pharmacists — including community pharmacist
Lawrence Sprey, West Sussex Local Pharmaceutical Committee secretary
Martin Mandelbaum and Brighton and Hove City Teaching Primary Care Trust
professional executive committee member Dominic Osman-Allu — will
attend the conference to voice the profession’s views at a variety
of fringe meetings. |
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