Category: News

Belfast’s community pharmacy workforce has been recognised at the prestigious Aisling Awards in recognition of their continued commitment to patient care throughout the past twelve months.  

Receiving the ‘Roll of Honour’ award, for those who have repeatedly gone the extra mile for the people of Belfast, a special recognition was given to the city’s community pharmacists for going beyond their day-to-day services to support their patients in communities across the city.

Earlier this year saw the community pharmacy network introduce an Emergency Supply of Medicines Service and a prescription delivery service to provide vulnerable, self-isolating and shielding patients with direct access to their medicines from home.

In taking home this year’s Award, the accessibility of the community pharmacy network was highlighted with the sector now the leading provider of first and second dose Covid-19 vaccinations; as well as a community access point for the flu vaccine and distribution of Lateral Flow Tests, reducing transmission and winter pressures at a pivotal moment for our health service.    

Speaking as he receives the award on behalf of the Belfast pharmacy network, Chair of Community Pharmacy NI, Peter Rice said:

“It’s an incredible honour to accept this year’s Roll of Honour Award on behalf of the community pharmacists of Belfast. During the last twelve months, community pharmacists from right across the city have shown remarkable levels of commitment and dedication to patient care. Whether through the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine, which began back in March to the launch of new winter pressure measures to guide us through the months ahead, community pharmacy has been steadfast in its dedication, delivery, and commitment at each stage.

“This has been a year like no other and community pharmacy teams right across Belfast and beyond have been tested like never before. The pandemic brought increased footfall and a spike in demand for services such as the dispensing of medicines. As a sector we recognised at an early stage that this would be a hugely uncertain time for many of our patients and stepped-up services to support those increasingly contacting their local community pharmacy as other parts of the health service became less accessible.

“I want to pay tribute to each and every community pharmacist for continuing to go the extra mile in support of their communities. The hard-work and unyielding commitment to patient care has been the defining characteristic of my colleagues over the last year and it is fantastic for this to be acknowledged in this way.”

The countdown is on to the Community Pharmacy “Big Jab Weekend” taking place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 December 2021.

“Get vaccinated and boost your immunity” is the message behind the weekend which sees many community pharmacies across Northern Ireland increasing their vaccination provision to help encourage uptake of COVID-19 primary and booster vaccines, for those who are eligible.

Peter Rice, Community Pharmacist said, “The “Big Jab Weekend” will see participating community pharmacies opening up more opportunities for people to get vaccinated either at their pharmacies, or pharmacy led walk-in clinics. The service is available for those who need their 1^st or 2^nd COVID-19 vaccine or if they are eligible for their booster jab. This is currently the 40 and over age group who received their 2^nd dose at least six months ago and those aged 50 and above who received their 2^nd dose at least three months ago. As there will be different levels of provision at each participating pharmacy, I would ask the public to link with their local community pharmacy’s social media channels for more information.

To date 211,000 vaccines have been administered through the community pharmacy sector in Northern Ireland and the outstanding contribution of the profession in the vaccination programme has been widely recognised. The “Big Jab Weekend” will build on this, helping to get more people vaccinated ahead of a challenging winter period, providing greater protection for themselves, their loved ones and the wider community”.

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Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds has praised the work of Community Pharmacies in the roll-out of the booster vaccine. Mrs Dodds has encouraged anyone eligible to receive their booster to do so as soon as possible.

The Upper Bann MLA was speaking after she received her booster vaccine through the Community Pharmacy Programme, at Gordons Chemist in Banbridge.

Mrs Dodds said,

“We know that the booster programme is the single most effective tool that we have in our collective effort to combat Covid-19. The Chief Scientific Advisor was clear, the booster programme would reduce hospitalisations by at least 15%.

I warmly welcome the increased efforts to speed up the booster roll-out and pay tribute to the work of community pharmacies, who have played a leading role in the programme.

I would strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to receive the booster vaccine to do so as soon as possible. Either through their local community pharmacy, their GP or local vaccination centre.

It is important that we build on the progress of the booster programme and ramp-up the roll-out in the coming weeks.

As we approach the Christmas period, it is vital that we all continue to follow the public health advice to reduce the spread of the virus.”

Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride received his COVID 19 booster vaccination today at a walk-in COVID-19 clinic in North Belfast organised by McKenzies Pharmacy.

This comes as nearly 200,000 primary vaccine doses and 40,000 booster doses of COVID 19 vaccine have been administered by community pharmacies across NI.

Community pharmacist Peter Rice administered Sir Michael’s booster dose at the Houben Centre. He remarked that there has been a “significant” increase in people presenting for first doses in recent days. With about 30% of doses administered at the minute are for first doses.

In the wake of persistent and widespread workforce pressures, community pharmacists have voted overwhelmingly to cease providing medicines in compliance aids such as medicines trays for new patients from 1st December 2021.

At a meeting of community pharmacist contractors last week, 97% voted to close the medicine adherence service to new patients from the start of next month. Faced with mounting pressures and without the appropriate investment, community pharmacists have serious concerns about their ability to continue providing this non-commissioned service, that is delivered largely on a goodwill basis.

The service involves community pharmacists supporting patients in the community to manage their medicines, and involves an in-depth pharmacist consultation, continuous monitoring, medicines provision in a specialised container, and regular and ongoing collaboration between a patient, their family, and the pharmacist.

Community pharmacists have continually warned that due to sustained workforce pressures and increasing staffing shortages, they would reach a point at which they could no longer accept new patients if they were to ensure the safe delivery of commissioned core services, including the dispensing of medicines and Covid-19 vaccination and Booster services.

Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene said:

“Due to increasing pressures, community pharmacists must prioritise core services and the contractor vote to cease providing new patients requiring non-commissioned compliance aid services was not taken lightly. We are now in a position which no community pharmacist wants to be in but continuing to accept new patients whilst managing an already demanding workload, coupled with severe workforce shortages would put both patient safety and commissioned pharmacy services at risk.

“Community pharmacists are an essential part of the delivery of the adherence service, using their clinical skills at a community level to support patients in managing their medicines safely. They want to continue to support their patients but only via a service commissioned and appropriately funded by the Health and Social Care Board.”

Community Pharmacist Peter Rice said:

“As essential primary healthcare providers, it deeply concerns me that we have arrived at this point, but my staff are stretched extremely thinly, and we cannot continue to take-in new patients for the service without the appropriate resources in support.

“As part of this service, we have been assisting patients, often those who are elderly, to safely manage their medicines at home and in the community, reducing the need for patients to be transferred to other settings such as hospitals. It is worrying that by not commissioning this service, there could be additional and avoidable hospital pressures.

“We are continually approached by new patients and their families who want to avail of the medicines adherence service, and as healthcare providers we want to help. Without the support from the Department to do this, we have to protect core services until a solution can be found.

In response to an interview about medicine supplies on Good Morning Britain this morning, Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI said: