Geoffrey Cox MP visits Bere Alston Pharmacy

Geoffrey Cox, Conservative MP for Torridge & West Devon visited Bere Alston, and the pharmacy in Bere Alston owned by Ian Peacock. Both Ian and Will Cockburn on behalf of Devon LPC were able to use the opportunity to express their concern about the changes in the management of the pharmacy contract that were highlighted in the recent NHS White Paper. As community pharmacy has a crucial part to play in promoting health and wellbeing to their local communities concern was also expressed about the future of the services that the Local Authority will look after (i.e. public health) and the potential risk to their quality and continuity during the transitional period.

Geoffrey agreed to raise these concerns at his next meeting with Ann James (NHS Devon Chief Executive), and also those that we currently have regarding the overall lack of engagement with community pharmacy by the commissioners, demonstrated by the fact that there are no public health campaigns currently agreed with community for this year, and the lack of direction on the advanced service for medicine use reviews.