Community pharmacy support from McCrea

LAGAN Valley MLA Basil McCrea has met Community Pharmacists at a special event in Stormont to hear about the impact of the cuts of up to 30% this year and the opportunities for progressing Community Pharmacy if the current difficulties could be resolved.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Dec 2011, 09:48 BST

Community Pharmacy NI, the body which represents Community Pharmacists, is running a public campaign to highlight the impact of an estimated 30% cut proposed by the Department of Health.

Pharmacist Eoghan O’Brien said: “We can help people manage their medicines and support them on important health issues such as maintaining a healthy weight and giving up smoking. We are the first point of access to the Health Service for more than 120,000 people in Northern Ireland every day.

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“The cuts proposed by the Department represent a serious threat to the work we do here and the access patients have to these important services.”

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, added: “MLAs and colleagues from across the health sector have heard how much Community Pharmacy has to offer the Health and Social Care service and the significant contribution we can make to improving the service provided to patients. However, Community Pharmacy is in crisis and we are concerned that unless measures are in place straight away this may impact on the long term viability of Community Pharmacy services across Northern Ireland. “I am delighted Basil McCrea was able to meet with us to support community pharmacy and we look forward to working together to ensure that pharmacy services are protected for the people of Lagan Valley,” he concluded,