IN MY VIEW... Colum Eastwood MP : ‘Community pharmacies playing integral role in protecting public’

The word ‘unprecedented’ is used often when describing our recent experiences but that is because it rings true. It is also true that these unprecedented times have tested the mettle of many of us, not least our health workers.

In our local community, it has been encouraging to witness how quickly people, businesses and services have adapted to keep essential items flowing and look after the most vulnerable.

An example of this is the rapid and decisive action taken by local community pharmacists. Without doubt, Community pharmacists became our local champions in a time of crisis. They have delivered an uninterrupted service and ensured that people could still get their medicine and sound professional advice when it was needed most.

That is not to say they did this in the absence of significant challenges. The huge surge in demand for prescriptions and influx of people looking for basic medication such as paracetamol; in addition to the worrying numbers of symptomatic people attending pharmacies underlined the severity of the challenges faced at the front door of the health service. The numbers attending pharmacies may now have slightly reduced, but it is safe to say we are not out of the woods yet.

On Friday, I visited Sweeny’s Chemist in Quayside Shopping Centre and saw first-hand the hard work and commitment of Killian Johnston and his pharmacy team. We talked about how they coped during the past few months, and how they supported local people and kept them safe.

Killian and his team told me that despite the challenges, the community pharmacy network was determined to keep the doors open.

Pharmacists took control of their own situations and moved swiftly to modify pharmacies, to ensure staff and public safety by implementing unique social distancing measures, erecting Perspex screens and ensuring PPE was provided to the workforce.

Taking these quick decisions ensured community pharmacy teams could keep going and the doors stayed open.

Patients continued to receive a high standard of care and panicked patients were reassured that medicine supplies were safe. To help those in vulnerable groups, medicine delivery services were put in place, and pharmacists worked extended hours to guarantee service continuity.

It is thanks to the hard work of Killian and others in the community pharmacy network that many of us are safe and well today.

In the past few weeks, the conversation has evolved, and we are looking at how to move on from the pandemic and protect the future sustainability of the health service. Transformation of services is required.

Through an expanded community pharmacy service, pressures felt in other health sectors could be eased and long waiting lists alleviated. Patient services such as blood pressure monitoring, minor ailment treatments and the management of repeat prescriptions could be actioned, freeing up GPs and allowing local pharmacists to continue to step-up and meet the needs of their community.

The visit reminded me that the very nature of community pharmacy, its accessibility at the heart of local communities, is exactly what makes it work.

‘Pharmacists took control of their own situations and moved swiftly to modify pharmacies, to ensure staff and public safety by implementing unique social distancing measures, erecting Perspex screens and ensuring PPE was provided to the workforce.’