THE EXPERIENCE OF COVID HAS SHONE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE MANY INHERENT QUALITIES IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY – RESILIENCE, AGILITY, ADAPTABILITY
enabling the rapid introduction of new ways of working, providing additional resources, and flexing the range of services provided to patients from pharmacies.
‘Significant investment was needed to sustain and support the sector and following the Ministerial announcement of the 2020/21 community pharmacy commissioning plan last July, the requisite funding for the year was established. With the 2020/21 commissioning plan, an important cornerstone was cemented into place for the year. This established the workplan for the rest of the year and enabled CPNI, HSCB & DoH (NI) to embed new services such as the Emergency Supply Service, the newly-commissioned delivery service and flu vaccination services into the community pharmacy service offering. The Living Well and Pharmacy First winter ailments services were re-focussed, all of which supplemented the core dispensing and advice support services. This overall offering was under-pinned by additional financial investment in the sector. Without this, the response would simply not have been possible.
‘So here we are at the start of a new financial year facing many of the same issues, including COVID. Community pharmacy teams remain committed and willing to support patients and the health service – the tremendous roll-out of the community pharmacy COVID vaccination service, from a standing start, demonstrates that.
‘Looking at what was achieved in 2020/21, many will say the blueprint for what is needed this year already exists. The 2021/22 commissioning plan announced by the Health Minister, Robin Swann, on 19 April 2021 is only part of the blueprint. Inevitably, new funding will be required to fully deliver the commissioning plan and the new vaccination and medicines adherence/compliance services within it. The vigour and commitment that enabled HSCB, DoH (NI) and CPNI to secure last year’s funding is also required this year, but with added urgency. Further challenges such as EU exit and workforce pressures are looming right over the community pharmacy sector and these will also need rapid mitigation as they bite.
‘The experience of COVID has shone a spotlight on the many inherent qualities in community
pharmacy – resilience, agility, adaptability, willingness, accessibility, and the dependency of the public and the health service on every pharmacy team across NI. With further Ministerial, DoH (NI) and HSCB support and financial investment, the delivery and implementation of the 2021/22 commissioning plan is undoubtedly achievable.’
CATHY
HARRISON Chief
Pharmaceutical Officer at the DoH
‘Community pharmacies are the most accessible part of our health and social care service. This year’s agreement recognises the valued contribution that pharmacists and pharmacy staff in local communities have made and continue to make to the COVID pandemic response and recovery. Its delivery will help ensure that the public will be able to avail of high quality, professional advice and services from pharmacies across Northern Ireland.’
JOE BROGAN Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management at the HSCB
‘Our population has suffered substantially from the COVID pandemic. We also know that there were already significant health challenges facing society. The pandemic has exacerbated this need. During the emergency response to the pandemic, community pharmacy services were hugely important and through the 21/22 commissioning plan we have agreed, we wish to expand and develop services that not only respond to the health needs of our community but also develop interventions which improve health and wellbeing using the excellent resource that we have in our pharmacies.’
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