Category: News

This ‘Ask Your Pharmacist Week’, Community Pharmacy NI is raising awareness of the value of community pharmacy teams in the heart of the local community.  

Moira woman Joan Johnston is backing the awareness week after surviving a near fatal bee sting, thanks to the quick-thinking of a local pharmacist.

After being stung by a bee on her scalp while in the garden, Joan noticed the first signs of an allergic reaction in the form of severe itching and redness which quickly travelled to affect her neck and ears.

She was advised by her GP to visit her local pharmacy, where the community pharmacist, Stephen Joyce, quickly administered life-saving antihistamine and an adrenaline injection while an ambulance was called.

Joan has hailed the quick action and professionalism of the pharmacy team in Moira as lifesaving and is backing ‘Ask Your Pharmacist’ Week to raise awareness of the clinical expertise and healthcare advice available in the heart of every community.

‘Ask Your Pharmacist’ Week is the National Pharmacy Association’s flagship annual public awareness campaign for community pharmacy across the UK. This year the theme of the campaign centres on the pharmacy team and the extensive skill set of not just community pharmacists, but also pharmacy technicians, dispensary assistants, and delivery drivers who safely deliver patients’ prescriptions each day.

Given the sustained pressure on all parts of the health service, Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland is also highlighting the value and contribution the community pharmacy makes.

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive, Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland, said:

“As providers of primary care, we are acutely aware of the pressures being felt right across the health service at the moment with both GP appointments in high demand and Emergency Departments consistently overloaded. Joan’s story illustrates how important community pharmacy teams are in providing patients with access right on their doorstep to highly trained teams of clinical experts in their community pharmacy.

I would like to commend Stephen and the team for their professional and swift response.”

Joan Johnston added:

“The treatment I received from Stephen and the professionalism of the whole team was nothing other than lifesaving.

“What was just a simple bee-sting, quickly became something very serious. On arrival at the pharmacy on the advice from my GP, I was dealt with very promptly and Stephen was summoned and immediately took control of the situation. I was given an urgent antihistamine, but quickly started feeling lightheaded and faint. The pharmacy team assisted me to a chair and called an ambulance. I felt short of breath, dizzy, and began to lose consciousness, at which point, I was lowered to the floor and raised my feet to elevate my blood pressure. It was really frightening how quickly it got so serious. I was completely in their hands.”

“Stephen administered intramuscular adrenaline, and my GP arrived to give me oxygen and an intravenous steroid. It was only after the incident when the details were relayed to me by my husband that I realised the outcome could have been very different for me”.

“This ‘Ask Your Pharmacist Week’, I want to raise awareness of the vital services local pharmacies provide: they are highly trained clinicians and we shouldn’t forget about the role they play. I am so grateful for the treatment that I received from Stephen and his team. Their expertise saved my life”.

Stephen Joyce, Community Pharmacist, Boots, Moira said:

“With community pharmacy’s accessibility, we treat and advise patients on a range of health conditions. At times, as in Joan’s case, the situation can be much more extreme but not unusual. Community pharmacy teams across Northern Ireland are seeing and treating increasing numbers of often ‘‘unseen’ and often life-saving interventions.

I am just glad that we were able to help in what could have been a very different outcome had she not come into the pharmacy to see us.

As part of the Living Well service throughout October and November community pharmacies are highlighting the importance of keeping antibiotics working.

Living Well is a community-based pharmacy service offered in over 500 pharmacies across Northern Ireland. It is delivered in partnership with the Public Health Agency (PHA), Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI), and the Department of Health (DoH). Antibiotics are needed for serious bacterial infections. When antibiotics are not used correctly, the bacteria they are designed to treat can become resistant, this is known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is one of the biggest threats to human health.

AMR occurs when microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat. The more we use antibiotics, such as penicillin, and other antimicrobial medicines the less effective they become.

Dr Amanda McCullough, AMR Programme Manager at the PHA said: “We use more antibiotics than we need to and because antibiotics are not always used appropriately, many bacteria are becoming resistant. “As a result, some antibiotics have become less effective against the bacterial infections they were designed to treat. Infections caused by resistant bacteria can be very difficult to treat and can be serious.

“Pharmacists are well positioned in the community to help inform the public on how to use antibiotics appropriately. They also have an important role in identifying when it is the correct time to use an antibiotic and when self-care is more appropriate.”
As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become less effective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.

Community pharmacist Adam Hill said: “It’s important we remember that antibiotics are not effective against simple infections, such as a cold or flu. Most simple infections clear up on their own and most coughs, sore throats or earaches do not need antibiotics. Your body can usually fight these infections on its own.

“The first place to get advice on these types of infections is your community pharmacy. Pharmacists are medicines experts and can provide valuable advice and also recommend over-the-counter medicines to help manage your symptoms.

“As we move through winter, we do tend to see more people with minor illnesses that won’t need antibiotics, and we can advise patients about when they may need to see their GP. So, remember to seek help and advice from your local community pharmacy first.”

Dr Sumanthra Varma, Pharmacy Adviser at the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) said: “Antibiotic resistance is something that affects everyone, so it’s important that we all take steps to help keep antibiotics working. Community pharmacies can offer one-to-one advice from a healthcare professional, often without the need to book an appointment.

“If you have a minor ailment or require a consultation about a recent health issue, your pharmacist can help. Pharmacists are highly-trained healthcare professionals who have a vast knowledge of symptoms and appropriate treatments. They can advise what medication to take, the dosage required and any side effects, and provide advice on how best to use it.
“If your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, the pharmacist can give you advice on how best to take it. Follow the instructions, complete the course and don’t just stop because you’re feeling a bit better. And remember, never share antibiotics with anyone else.”

For more information, pick up a free Keep antibiotics working leaflet at your local community pharmacy and visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/antibiotic-resistance

Notes to Editors
For more information, pick up a free Keep antibiotics working leaflet at your local community pharmacy and visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/antibiotic-resistance

Don’t miss out on your winter health protection.

That’s the appeal from Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer to everyone eligible for COVID-19 booster and flu vaccination.

Professor Sir Michael McBride said: “While the threat from COVID-19 has significantly reduced since the height of the pandemic, it is still very capable of causing serious ill health and in some cases death. The same goes for flu.

“That’s why I am again strongly encouraging everyone who is eligible for these jabs to not miss out. Vaccination will give you added protection over winter, when there is invariably a heightened risk from both viruses.”

The Chief Medical Officer added that getting vaccinated is also “an act of solidarity” with our health and social care system and its staff.

“We know that winter will once again be an extremely pressurised time for health and social care services right across these islands.

“Flu and COVID-19 cases will contribute to those pressures. Vaccination is a practical step members of the public can take to support health and social care services. It can help suppress infection rates, freeing up resources to treat other patients. It will help us help you in providing the care you need. Vaccination is a win win for you and our health service.” 

The Public Health Agency brought forward the planned start date of this year’s autumn flu and COVID-19 vaccination programmes. This was a precautionary measure following the identification of a new COVID-19 variant.

Advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) indicates that starting the autumn vaccine programme sooner will deliver greater protection, supporting those at greatest risk of severe illness and reducing the potential impact on our health and social care system.

An early priority of the vaccination programme will be care homes across Northern Ireland.

The vaccination programme is a major concerted effort across the health and social care system. Community pharmacists are taking the lead on care home vaccinations, while GPs will be inviting their eligible patients to come forward for their jabs. Patients do not have to contact their GP practices but should wait to be invited – or attend a participating community pharmacy.

The Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene, said: “Community pharmacists are playing a key role in the vaccination programme offering those eligible the option to receive their vaccines close to home and at a time that suits. If you are eligible for a vaccine, you don’t have to wait, contact your local community pharmacy today to get your vaccine and protect yourself and your loved ones this winter.”

The COVID-19 booster vaccine is being offered to the following cohorts, in line with JCVI guidance:

• all residents and staff in care homes
• all adults aged 65 years and over on 31 March 2024
• persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book, COVID-19 chapter(external link opens in a new window / tab) (Green Book)
• frontline health and social care workers
• persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts (as defined in the Green Book) of people with immunosuppression
• persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the Green Book)

Those eligible for flu vaccine in NI in 2023/24 are:

• all preschool children aged two to four years on 1 September 2023
• all primary and secondary (up to and including year 12) school children
• those aged six months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the influenza chapter in ‘Immunisation against infectious disease(external link opens in a new window / tab)’ (‘Green Book’)
• all those aged 65 years and over on 31 March 2024
• pregnant women
• those in long-stay residential care homes
• carers
• close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• frontline health and social care workers (HSCWs)

A new campaign focussing on the importance of childhood immunisations has been launched in pharmacies across Northern Ireland.

The ‘childhood immunisation’ campaign highlights the importance of vaccination and the protection provided by the childhood immunisation programme. The campaign is running in community pharmacies throughout August and September as part of the Living Well service.

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

Geraldine Mallon, Immunisation Programme Manager, PHA said: “The PHA strongly recommends that babies and children are vaccinated according to the Routine Childhood Immunisations Schedule. Vaccination rates have seen a slight decrease over recent years so it is important vaccination coverage is improved as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of avoidable serious and sometimes deadly diseases such as measles and polio.

“If you are unsure if your child is up to date with vaccinations the easiest way to check is to look at your child’s red book or speak to your health visitor or GP. If your child has missed a vaccination, please contact your GP practice to book an appointment as soon as you can to make sure they have maximum protection against disease.”

Vaccination is the most important thing you can do to protect your child against ill health. After clean water, vaccination is the most effective public health intervention in the world for saving lives, promoting good health and preventing serious illness.

Due to the high number of children receiving vaccinations in Northern Ireland over the past number of decades, many serious childhood infectious diseases are rarely heard of. Recently, however, vaccination rates have seen a slight decrease. It is crucial vaccine uptake remains high in Northern Ireland to prevent many of these serious diseases returning from parts of the world where they still occur. If this happens, children living in Northern Ireland who are not vaccinated will be at risk of these infections and potentially life-changing complications, even death.

Ronan Warnock, community pharmacist at Tempo Pharmacy said: “Immunisation is important for children because it helps provide immunity before exposure to potentially life-threatening diseases. Immunisation has helped rid the world of some very serious debilitating diseases, smallpox, for example, has now been eradicated thanks to vaccines.

“Parents with queries about any aspect of their child’s immunisations are welcome to call in to any of the participating pharmacies for an informal chat to find out more about the childhood immunisation programme.”

Vaccination is like a protective shield. Vaccines work by training your body’s immune system to make antibodies, which are proteins that help fight infection. If you are re-exposed to the disease in the future, your immune system ‘remembers’ the disease and quickly destroys it before you become unwell. The Childhood immunisation campaign encourages parents and guardians to have their babies and children vaccinated according to the routine childhood immunisation schedule. This will give them maximum protection against disease.

For more information, call into your local community pharmacy and pick up a free Immunisation protects leaflet.

Notes to Editors

Geraldine Mallon, Immunisation Programme Manager with PHA, Ronan Warnock, community pharmacist at Tempo Pharmacy, and pharmacy assistants Florence Campbell and Bernie Wright.

Local elected representatives Emma Sheerin MLA, Linda Dillon MLA and Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle O’Neill MLA visited O’Kane’s Pharmacy in Draperstown to learn about the pressures facing community pharmacists across Northern Ireland.

Laurence O’Kane and community pharmacists Aideen Shaw and Aine Laverty discussed with MLAs their desire as health professionals to provide additional services for the community and take pressure of the health service if workforce, workload and funding issues were addressed.

Community pharmacists have long campaigned for the Department of Health to address the recurrent underfunding of the community pharmacy sector and support local pharmacists in their efforts to continue delivering safe services to patients and grapple with rising costs.

The Mid-Ulster MLAs were also briefed by Community Pharmacy NI Chief Executive Gerard Greene who said that CPNI is eager to work with the Department to tackle the issues impacting the sector and the urgent need for stability to build the service going forward.

Michelle O’Neill, Vice President, Sinn Féin, said:

“It has been great to visit such a vibrant community pharmacy, to listen to their concerns, see first-hand the difference they make in the lives of everyone who walks through their doors, and hear about their hopes for the future of community pharmacy. There is no doubt that pharmacies across the north are at crisis point. We desperately need to see the return of a functioning Executive to address the serious underfunding and pressures felt by the entire network”.

During the visit, Laurence O’Kane said:

“In my 37 years working as a pharmacist, I have not experienced such profound difficulties in the community pharmacy sector as those we are facing now. We are all trying to deal with workforce issues, medicines shortages, workload pressures and rising costs all while working to ensure that we continue to provide safe services for patients. I am confident that community pharmacy can do more to help alleviate pressures on the health service. As more recently qualified pharmacists, Aideen and Aine are keen to use the knowledge and clinical skills they have to help manage patients in their local community. If we were properly resourced, we would be in a position to offer more clinical services which would allow patients to see us first without the need to visit their GP.

It has been great to have our local elected representatives here today to listen to our concerns. It is my hope that they have been encouraged to work towards turning all of this potential into a reality”.

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive, Community Pharmacy NI, added:

“The value of community pharmacy and the contribution it makes to local communities and the health service can’t be underestimated. Everyday community pharmacy teams see, treat, and manage patients with a range of health conditions. These local and often timely interventions help to achieve better patient outcomes and alleviate pressures across the wider health and social care system.

“We are clear that community pharmacy can do more with the right level of funding and while we have made our points to the Department, it was extremely helpful to be able to brief MLAs on these issues, especially the First Minister Designate as we all look towards the return of Stormont. There is a long way to go, but with the right political will and support I believe we can unleash the potential of community pharmacy and transform the way healthcare in the community is delivered”.

Father and daughter community pharmacy duo have briefed elected representatives on the current crisis facing community pharmacies across Northern Ireland at an All-Party Group Meeting held at Stormont.

Laurence and Laura O’Kane from O’Kane’s Pharmacy in Draperstown told MLAs that community pharmacists need support to grapple with the workforce, workload and funding issues which threaten to close the doors of local pharmacies in the heart of the community.

They highlighted that although community pharmacists are eager to do more, provide additional services, and take pressure off the health service, the sector urgently needs support to meet rising costs, provide stability and develop the workforce for new roles in the future.

Community pharmacists have long campaigned for adequate and recurrent funding from the Department of Health to allow safe services to patients to be properly planned and resourced.

Elected representatives were also briefed by Community Pharmacy NI Chief Executive Gerard Greene and Chair Peter Rice who said that CPNI wants to work with the Department to address many of the issues that have affected the sector, including the funding shortfall, providing the necessary stability needed to underpin the current service and build the service going forward.

Speaking to MLAs at the meeting in Stormont, Laurence O’Kane from O’Kane’s Pharmacy in Draperstown said:

“Community pharmacy is at crisis; it is at a point at which in my 37 years as a pharmacist I haven’t experienced before. Our hands are tied as we try to deal with workforce issues, medicines shortages, rising costs and keep the doors of our pharmacies open for patients. We need immediate investment to not only help local pharmacies survive, but also unleash their potential”.

Laura O’Kane added “We need to see more community pharmacists becoming Independent Prescribers as this would enable them to deliver more clinical services that would allow patients to see us first without the need to visit their GP. With the unique accessibility of community pharmacy, we see patients every day without appointment, many with long-term conditions. As a newly qualified pharmacist I want to do more to help manage these patients in the community and alleviate pressures across the health service, but we need the investment in our profession to make this happen”.

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive, Community Pharmacy NI, added:

“Community pharmacists are some of the most accessible healthcare professionals in the heart of the community, with over 123,000 people using community pharmacies each day in Northern Ireland. We have heard today that community pharmacists here are eager to do more to support their patients.

As the healthcare landscape and patient needs continue to evolve, community pharmacists are well placed and possess the clinical skills required to provide a range of services that can work to alleviate health and social care and GP pressures, solve primary care bottlenecks, and relieve the burden on secondary care.

However, for this to happen, we are clear that there must be an urgent injection, as was announced last week in Scotland where a £20m funding injection was confirmed. We urgently need stabilisation of community pharmacy funding and for the chronic systemic underfunding of the network to be addressed alongside plans that will see the development of the workforce. There is much potential, but a long way to go and we need the support of elected representatives to appeal to the Department of Health to turn all of this into reality”.