Adrian Sanders MP visits Lloyds Pharmacy in Torquay

Andrew Mawhinney, Lloyds Pharmacy, Cluster Pharmacist, arranged and organised the visit of MP Adrian Sanders, the Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay to Barton Lloyds Pharmacy in Torquay.  Devon LPC helped support the visit which took place on the 9th July.

Adrian was informed by Andrew of the positive contribution pharmacies are providing to their local communities, from emergency hormonal contraception access, to the private consultations on medicines use and screening tests for diabetes and cholesterol.  Mark Stone (Devon LPC) told Adrian about a new service pharmacies in Torbay were hoping to provide, where the pharmacist would consult asthma patients on self care and improving their technique of inhaler use.  This type of pharmacist consultation has shown a large decrease in emergency patient admissions (50%) to hospital, and that it improves patient outcomes.  In addition, Adrian was informed about the continued savings pharmacy provides to the NHS, recognised in the National Audit Office report that stated pharmacies provided £1.8bn of savings on NHS medicines.

Adrian asked about the problems pharmacies are having in sourcing medicines because of the increase in exports out of the country.  Andrew said that he was continuing to find the situation difficult with many restrictions placed on his orders by manufacturers, which reduced his ability to provide timely quality care to his patients.  Adrian agreed this situation needs to be addressed more innovatively than previously attempts.

Andrew and Mark informed Adrian about their worries around the commissioning of enhanced pharmacy services, such as supervised methadone, when the NHS moves to GP centred commissioning bodies.  Adrian was informed that the future of pharmacy depended on it being integrated into primary care, where partnership working between pharmacists and doctors was recognised.

Lastly, Adrian informed both the pharmacists that he had registered to be a member of the All Party Pharmacy Group, and that if there were any issues that the pharmacists needed addressing they should contact him