Month: July 2022

The COVID-19 Spring Vaccine Programme to care home patients has been officially completed in Northern Ireland with community pharmacists providing over 83% of doses to those living in care homes.

The programme was aimed at boosting protection for those over 75, care home patients and the severely immunosuppressed against COVID -19 during the early part of 2022.

466 care homes across Northern Ireland were visited by community pharmacy teams to vaccinate patients, with almost 11,000 boosters administered.

Those aged over 75 and the severely immunosuppressed were also eligible to attend their local pharmacy to receive their booster vaccine. Over 7,400 patients received their Spring booster in this way.

Since beginning to deliver COVID-19 vaccines in March 2021, community pharmacies have provided over 365,000 doses to the public. Community Pharmacy NI has commended the pharmacy network for their diligent delivery of the vaccine programme and state that it demonstrates the efficient and high-quality service that can be provided by community pharmacies if the right resource and funding is in place.

Commenting on the completion of the Spring Booster programme, Vice Chair of Community Pharmacy NI and Country Pharmacy Manager at Boots, Marie Smith said:

“As a community pharmacist, I’ve seen daily the benefit of providing the COVID-19 vaccine to those living locally in the community. Community pharmacy is the first choice for many in our neighbourhoods, including the elderly and those preferring not to travel, due to our convenience and the fact that patients know and trust us.

“The flexibility of community pharmacies also meant we were able to go out to care homes and administer the vaccine to some of our most vulnerable patients who simply couldn’t access a healthcare setting. It is a testament to the pharmacy network that over 83% of care home patients were vaccinated by community pharmacists.

“The accessibility and adaptability of the community pharmacy network has really been highlighted throughout the vaccine programme. Adapting overnight to deliver thousands of vaccines, which really did save lives, meant that our society was able to move out of lockdowns and begin to get back to normal life. The vaccine programme only further showcases the good work pharmacies can do when funding and resources are allocated appropriately.”

Care Home Manager at St James’ Lodge Ballymoney, Bronagh Barker added:

“The work of our local pharmacy in delivering the Spring Booster vaccine has really been a weight lifted off everyone’s shoulders. Some of our patients are extremely vulnerable and it has been a concern over how and when they can get vaccinated. To have our local pharmacists, who our staff and patients know and trust, come and deliver the vaccine meant they felt more at ease. This has been a great comfort during this period of concern especially to our families as COVID-19 affects our elderly the most.”

“We would like to thank our local pharmacy team for supporting our patients and providing the Spring vaccine to them.”

The Community Pharmacy Living Well service is launching a new summer campaign on breastfeeding which will run during July and August 2022.

The breastfeeding campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding, encourage support for breastfeeding mums and help to normalise breastfeeding.

Living Well is offered in over 500 pharmacies and provides information and advice on public health issues. It is delivered in partnership with the Public Health Agency (PHA), Department of Health and Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI).

Dr Hannah Dearie, Senior Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Officer with PHA, said: “Breastfeeding is a fundamental public health issue because it promotes health, prevents disease in the short and long-term and helps to reduce health inequalities for both mum and baby.

“We know that breastfeeding protects babies from a range of illnesses, including ear and chest infections, gastroenteritis, diabetes, asthma, childhood obesity, as well as cot death (sudden infant death syndrome). It also helps to protect mums from various cancers such as breast and ovarian, and also type 2 diabetes.

“The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life; the longer the duration of breastfeeding the greater the effect on improving the child’s health. While the majority of mothers can breastfeed, we know that making it easier and more supportive for them to do so will help improve breastfeeding rates in Northern Ireland. It is important that mums are provided with accurate information and practical support from their family, their healthcare system and wider society.”

The campaign aims to encourage and target a broad spectrum of the public including:

• breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women and women considering getting pregnant;
• spouses/partners, grandparents (as they are key influencers on a woman’s decision to breastfeed and to continue to breastfeed), family members and friends;
• the general public – community support is needed particularly when breastfeeding mothers are outside the home environment.

In addition to this, the campaign emphasises the ‘Breastfeeding welcome here’ scheme which helps to locate and provide supportive environments for mothers to breastfeed when they’re out and about in public places.

Whilst breastfeeding rates in Northern Ireland have been increasing slowly in recent years, it is really important that we continue to do all we can to encourage more parents to choose breastfeeding for their babies and to ensure that they are supported to do so.

Community pharmacist Edel McMahon added: “Community pharmacies are at the heart of our local communities with the public recognising pharmacists as trusted and accessible healthcare professionals. This makes community pharmacy the ideal setting to help encourage and support mums on their breastfeeding journey.

“Initiatives like the Living Well service aim to help to normalise breastfeeding and provide an alternative support network for breastfeeding mums. We are able to support the wider community in understanding the importance of breastfeeding.

“Whether you need support with breastfeeding or you want to know how you can help support a friend, a colleague or family member on their breastfeeding journey, the first step is simple, just ask your pharmacist for advice.”

For further information please visit www.pha.site/living-well