First Minister Arlene Foster MLA has thanked community pharmacy teams for their ongoing commitment and support to patients and wider society during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The First Minister paid a visit to Hughes Pharmacy in Enniskillen on Friday 2nd October and met with pharmacist Paul Hughes to hear how his pharmacy team dealt with the pressures during the first wave of the pandemic.
During the visit, Mr Hughes outlined the wide range of measures that community pharmacies have introduced including social distancing, protective screens, use of PPE and the development of new services that will bolster local community-based healthcare, such as new delivery services that mean the most vulnerable will still receive medicines when shielding.
The First Minister also heard of the advancement of new services in local community pharmacies such as the flu vaccination service which will be provided to all health and social care workers in Northern Ireland in more than 350 community pharmacies this winter.
Speaking at Hughes Pharmacy, First Minister, Arlene Foster MLA said:
“It was eye-opening to hear from Paul Hughes and his pharmacy team today about the experiences they faced during the first wave of this pandemic.
“COVID has placed an immense burden on all of our frontline staff and it is humbling to see how people like Paul and his team have stepped up and put the needs of their patients first. These pressures have never been experienced before by our health service but when it mattered most, community pharmacists certainly went above and beyond to do their jobs and look after their patients.
“Speaking with Paul and his pharmacy team today has brought home to me how important community pharmacy services are. We can be nothing but thankful for their service.”
The First Minister continued:
“As we move into the winter months with the virus rising again, it was reassuring to hear about the measures and plans Paul and his team have put in place to deal with the demands ahead. This includes offering flu vaccine services and I echo the comments of the Health Minister this week and would encourage all health and social care workers to visit their local community pharmacy and get vaccinated.”
Paul Hughes of Hughes Pharmacy said:
“We welcomed the opportunity to meet with the First Minister today to talk about the pressures brought about by Covid and how we plan to bolster our services in the months ahead, which will no doubt be very challenging.
“The pressure faced by pharmacy teams during the first wave of the pandemic was immense. By working longer hours, ensuring medicines were sourced and delivered to vulnerable patients and giving advice we did what was required on the frontline to look after our patients.
“We also spoke to Minister Foster about our winter service preparations, such as the flu vaccine service and the Minor Ailments Service which are available in local pharmacies across Northern Ireland. These services will prove to be crucial in keeping people away from hospitals and ease the burden on other healthcare settings such as Emergency Departments and GPs.
“It is essential that the public work with us once again to protect each other and our health service. The spirit of ‘we are all in this together’ has never been more important and will be key to getting through the winter and saving as many lives as possible.”
Alex Easton MLA paid a visit to Helen’s Bay Pharmacy also on Friday 2nd October and discussed community pharmacy’s response to Covid-19 with community pharmacist, Dave McCrae. The visit was also an opportunity for Mr Easton to find out more about some of the services available to support the health needs of the local community in the coming months.
If you are a pharmacy contractor and would like to host a pharmacy visit with your local political representatives, please contact Jude Austin
