Vaughan Gething Praises Pharmacists For Boosting Health Of The Nation

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport, Vaughan Gething last night celebrated the dedicated pharmacists across Wales who are improving the health and wellbeing of the nation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh Pharmacy Awards saw individuals and teams recognised for the excellent pharmaceutical care they are providing to people across Wales and focussed on the importance of sharing best practice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Vaughan Gething also praised the profession for its commitment to the Welsh Government’s Choose Pharmacy scheme, which sees pharmacists take responsibility for managing a range of minor ailments – thereby freeing up GPs to deal with patients with more complex needs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I was delighted to attend the Welsh Pharmacy Awards to celebrate the skill and dedication of pharmacists across Wales who provide patients with quality advice and treatment on a daily basis. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I would particularly like to praise the profession’s engagement with our Choose Pharmacy service. By enabling people with minor ailments to see highly-skilled pharmacists for information and treatment, the scheme is enabling GPs to focus on those people with more complex cases and reducing patient waiting times.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Vaughan Gething also reiterated the Welsh Government’s commitment to community pharmacies: “Community pharmacies are a critical part of a strong primary care service. I am keen to continue working with pharmacy contractors to maximise the role of community pharmacists, both to increase the quality of care they provide, and the range of services they offer.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​