The All-Party Pharmacy Group heard from frontline pharmacists and industry representatives how local pharmacies can play a bigger role in primary care, help address the NHS backlogs and tackle winter pressures.
The panel consisted of:
Janet Morrison OBE, Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee
Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of The Company Chemists’ Association
Thorrun Govind, Chair of the Royal Pharmacy Society’s (RPS) English Pharmacy Board
Sanjeev Panesar, National Pharmacy Association Board Member, and Pharmacist Superintendent and Owner of the Pan Pharmacy Group
Sandeep Dhami, Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies member and Superintendent at MW Phillips Chemist
At the session, which took place in Westminster on Wednesday 1st November, 18 Parliamentarians were told about the myriad of ways pharmacies contribute to the health of the nation. Examples included providing informal advice consultations with no specific funding attached them, administering large scale vaccine programmes such as COVID and flu, providing lifestyle improvement services such as stop smoking schemes, and improving medicine optimisation.
However, the panel of experts also highlighted that pharmacists are ‘running out of fuel’ with the growing challenges such as flat funding, workforce shortages and the cost-of-living crisis impacting pharmacies’ ability to deliver vital services.
At a time when the NHS is facing overwhelming pressures, Parliamentarians were told that government should be looking to protect pharmacies and working to unleash the full potential of an existing network of medically trained professionals at the heart of communities.
The APPG also held its Annual General Meeting, which saw the election of a new committee including Taiwo Owatemi, Labour MP for Coventry North West, as the new Chair. Former Chair Jackie Doyle-Price MP had stood down after being appointed Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy in September 2022.
We are therefore pleased to announce the election of;
Chair: Taiwo Owatemi, Labour MP for Coventry North West.
Vice-Chair: Lord Clement-Jones
Vice-Chair: Baroness Meacher
Vice-Chair: Sir George Howarth, Labour MP for Knowsley
Vice-Chair: Derek Thomas, Conservative MP for St Ives
Vice-Chair: Peter Dowd, Labour MP for Bootle
Officer: Elliot Colburn, Conservative MP for Carshalton and Wallington
Chair of the All-Party Pharmacy Group, Taiwo Owatemi MP said: “Delighted to be the Chair of the All-Party Pharmacy Group. As an NHS cancer pharmacist, I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues across Parliament to promote the vital role that pharmacies and pharmacists play in delivering healthcare in Britain.”
Vice-Chair of the All-Party Pharmacy Group, Derek Thomas MP said: “Pharmacies have the potential to play a much bigger part in primary health care, and NHS commissioning must make full use of this important local resource. I am proud to be the new Vice-Chair of the All-Party Pharmcy Group campaigning for the NHS to harness the power of community pharmacy.”