Ask Your Pharmacist Launch Receives All Party Support

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 11 Nov 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The Ask Your Pharmacist Launch at the Houses of Parliament sought to raise awareness of services being provided in community pharmacy to MPs and key stakeholders. The event was hosted by Shadow Health Minister Mark Simmonds MP, with speeches from Health Minister Mike O'Brien MP and John Turk, National Pharmacy Association Chief Executive.

Pharmacists were on hand to talk to MPs and key stakeholders about their experience with patients on 7 community pharmacy health services. The services promoted at the event were; allergy screening, chlamydia testing and treatment, health checks, minor ailments, medicines use reviews, pharmacist prescribing and smoking cessation.

Health Minister Mike O'Brien MP said: "We all have a part to play here in ensuring the public are more aware of what it is that you can do to improve people's health. That's why today is such a valuable event, showcasing the services that many of you provide now and which many of more of you will provide in the future."

Shadow Health Minister Mark Simmonds MP said: "I am delighted to be hosting the Ask Your Pharmacist Week Parliamentary Reception. Community pharmacy has a huge role to play in delivering new NHS services and tackling public health priorities in local communities. There is a real desire and capability to take on more responsibility in the future, and I hope that this event contributes to helping the profession develop in the future."

John Turk, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association said: "Ask Your Pharmacist Week will promote pharmacists as health champions showcasing the services they provide to encourage wellness, along with the services that treat illness. Today's pharmacies are enhancing a safe and effective medicines supply function, with services that ensure people get the most out of the medicines they use."

"Pharmacists play an invaluable role in delivering major NHS services, and in improving the health of the nation, and in future they will be doing even more. Every year nearly 9 out of 10 of us visit a pharmacy - brilliant news - and 60% would like to receive more advice from the pharmacist but are not sure what they could ask. The NPA's campaign is targeted at making sure everyone knows what services are available from their local pharmacy."

About AYP Week

'Ask Your Pharmacist Week' is taking place during the week beginning Monday 9th November. AYP Week will promote 7 services available from community pharmacy and will encourage the public to access these services. http://www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk will be promoted to the public as a tool to find a community pharmacy that provides the relevant service.

The 7 services being promoted are:

- Allergy Screening
- Chlamydia testing and treatment
- Health Checks (cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI)
- Medicine Use reviews
- Minor Ailments
- Pharmacist Prescribing
- Stop Smoking

Source
National Pharmacy Association

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