COMMUNITY PHARMACIES ‘INVALUABLE’
As Scotland’s community pharmacies prepare to participate in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, SP asked Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, for her views on how the profession has faced the challenges of the pandemic over the last year…
Jeane Freeman
T
hroughout the last year, Scotland’s community pharmacy – as with the entire community pharmacy throughout the
United Kingdom – continued to provide a first- class service to its patients.
Across Scotland, pharmacists and their teams were the first port of call for patients, who not only had health concerns, but who were also anxious and stressed about the situation.
SP actually spoke to one pharmacy contractor, who said that the pharmacy’s three phone lines were often constantly engaged while they and their other pharmacists spoke to patients – usually elderly – who were feeling lonely and distressed by being cut off from family and friends.
SP totally recognises the contribution that every community pharmacy across Scotland has made – and continues to make – during the pandemic, so we decided to ask the Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, for her opinion on the role that community pharmacy has played in primary care over the past year.
This is what Ms Freeman told us…
‘I want to thank all community pharmacy teams for their incredibly hard work throughout this pandemic. They have proven to be invaluable to communities across Scotland, as they have continued to ensure people receive vital medicines and care through this period of unprecedented challenge for the NHS.
‘Primary care is central to our health and care system. For many it’s the first and often only point of contact when health issues arise and it is important we get that right. Alongside their colleagues, pharmacists, GPs and practice teams, dentists, optometrists, Allied Health Professionals and the Out of Hours Service have delivered vital services, continuing to provide essential health services whilst adapting to new ways of working.
‘Many people visit a community pharmacy every day, with these numbers increasing in the current COVID-19 outbreak and this makes them the most accessible healthcare professionals on the front line of community health services, and a valuable resource to NHS Scotland.
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scottishpharmacist.com
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