Community pharmacies play a key role in easing the pressure on GPs, Welsh Conservatives claimed today.
In an Assembly debate Shadow Health Minister Andrew RT Davies AM called on the Assembly Government to engage more effectively with the sector.
Mr Davies claimed ministers had failed to fulfil a promise to develop pharmacy-based NHS drop-in centres more than two years after making the pledge.
The South Wales Central AM said pharmacists had reported no changes to the terms of services commissioned by the NHS since Welsh Conservatives last raised the issue in October 2008.
The final report of a ‘task and finish group’ study into the sector is also three months overdue, he added.
Andrew RT Davies AM said:
“The Assembly Government pledged to use community pharmacies as the basis for NHS drop-in centres more than two years ago yet we are no further forward.
“The interim report of the Task and Finish Group made a number of sensible preliminary recommendations to make better use of pharmacists and NHS resources.
“It is therefore a major disappointment that despite repeated calls, the final report has only been published in draft form.
“With more than 700 community pharmacies in Wales, pharmacists are well placed to provide advice about medical choices, lifestyle choices, and medicines management.
“The top 10 ailments that patients visit community pharmacies for are the same as for GPs. Conditions such as diarrhoea, head lice and constipation could be easily dealt with at a local pharmacy, freeing GP hours for patients with more serious conditions. This in turn could save the Welsh NHS a significant amount of money.”
