ULSTER CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION IN FOCUS
article was not a good news story for pharmacy, highlighting the work pressures every pharmacist is under and also the amount of money Boots, and by implication pharmacy, was ‘milking’ from the NHS.
Welcome T
The article missed the point. The Department of Health set the target by putting a number to the MURs that we can provide. 400 MUR (England) or 120 (Northern Ireland). It is only natural that pharmacy will try to achieve that target and maximise the revenue lost through savage Government cuts to pharmacy by pushing the MUR service.
It is important that pharmacists and contractors turn their attention to
the real problem. That problem is the underfunding of pharmacy services.
Pharmacists need a strong voice. Employee pharmacists need to challenge the Department of Health and question why we are limited in the number of MURs we do. Why are we not able to provide the MUR service for any patient when it is clinically appropriate? Why is there no link from patient to pharmacy to surgery? Pharmacists can help GP surgeries with the pressures they face, we can help the Department meet health targets. Why is this not happening? I hope these are the types of questions our employee members will start to ask!
A strong pharmacy voice, representing contractors, community pharmacists, GP practice pharmacists - a voice that must be listened to at Stormont. The UCA can be that voice. I would ask any pharmacist with an interest in developing our profession to join the UCA, whether owner or employee, and become part of that strong voice. A strong community pharmacy network is in the interest of all.
At a recent Omega Pharma training event, I listened to the discussion about tobacco harm reduction, e-cigs and their upcoming regulation, as well as the task of introducing brief interventions in the pharmacy during our regular consultations. These could be part of your MUR asking COPD patients about their smoking status, or even chatting to the middle aged man buying a cough bottle about smoking.
It got me to thinking about all the things we currently do, but don’t tell anyone about. Where is the research to show the difference that pharmacists make on a daily basis? This is something that the UCA believes needs to be done and quickly! The UCA will soon be commissioning this type of research. We still need to show Government that we are an integral part of the primary health care team and are indispensable to the future health of the general population.
Cliff McElhinney UCA President
Tel: 028 9065 6576
www.uca.org.uk
he recent article in the Guardian newspaper highlighted the pressure being put on pharmacists by Boots Pharmacy to maximise the number of MURs being carried out instore. The
Inside this issue:
Pre-Registration Pharmacist Update
Diary of a Representative Pharmacist
Latest appointment to UCA
“A strong pharmacy voice, representing contractors, community pharmacists, GP practice pharmacists - a voice that must be listened to at Stormont. The UCA can be that voice”
PROMOTING AND PROTECTING COMMUNITY & PRIMARY CARE PHARMACY IN NORTHERN IRELAND
ISSUE 2 • 2016
• News • Views • Information
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